Terms of Service

1. Acceptance & Eligibility

By accessing or using the Stagely platform (the "Platform"), including the website at www.stagely.live and any associated mobile applications, you ("User") confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be legally bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"), our Privacy Policy, and our Cancellation & Refund Policy.

Eligibility Requirements

• You must be at least 18 years of age to use the Platform
• Venues must be legally registered businesses or licensed event operators in their country of operation
• Talent must be legally permitted to work and accept commercial engagements in their country of residence
• You must not have been previously suspended or banned from Stagely
• By using the Platform you represent and warrant that all information you provide is accurate, current, and complete

2. Platform Role & Limitations of Liability

Stagely is a marketplace and escrow intermediary — we facilitate connections between venues and talent. We are not a party to the performance contract between a venue and a talent; we are not an employer, agent, or representative of either party.

Stagely is NOT responsible for:

• The quality, artistic merit, or suitability of a talent's performance
• Injuries, property damage, or incidents occurring at the event venue
• Disputes arising from verbal agreements made outside the Platform
• Force majeure events including but not limited to natural disasters, pandemics, government bans, or power failures
• Any losses arising from a user's own negligence or breach of these Terms
• Technical outages, internet failures, or third-party service disruptions (Stripe, Supabase, etc.)

Stagely's Maximum Liability

In no event shall Stagely's total liability to any user exceed the total amount of platform fees (15%) collected from that user in the 12 months preceding the claim. All other claims, damages, or losses are expressly disclaimed to the fullest extent permitted by UAE law.

3. Account Registration & Security

• You must provide a valid email address and create a secure password. You are solely responsible for all activity under your account.
• You must not share your login credentials with any third party.
• You must notify Stagely immediately at contact@elbachdigital.com if you suspect any unauthorised access to your account.
• Stagely will never ask for your password via email, phone, or chat.
• Creating multiple accounts to circumvent a suspension or ban is strictly prohibited and will result in permanent removal from the Platform.
• Each user may only hold one active account per role (venue or talent) unless expressly authorised by Stagely.

4. Venue Terms — Booking Obligations

By submitting a booking request on Stagely, the venue ("Venue") agrees to the following obligations in full:

4.1 Booking Accuracy

• All booking details (date, time, venue address, event type, expected guests) must be accurate and complete at time of submission.
• Material changes to booking details after acceptance require talent consent and must be communicated via Stagely support — not directly with the talent.

4.2 Payment Obligations

• Upon talent acceptance, the Venue must pay the 50% deposit to Stagely within 6 hours to secure the booking. Failure to pay results in automatic cancellation.
• The remaining 50% balance is due to Stagely within 48 hours after the event concludes.
• All payments are made to Stagely — never directly to the talent. Venues who attempt to pay talent directly are in breach of these Terms and may be permanently suspended.
• Stagely's 15% platform fee is included in the total price shown and is non-refundable once a booking is confirmed.

4.3 Venue Conduct & Responsibilities

• The Venue must provide a safe, professional, and legal working environment for the talent.
• The Venue must provide adequate sound equipment, technical support, and hospitality (water, secure changing room) as mutually agreed.
• The Venue must not request talent to perform acts, songs, or content that are illegal, harmful, or discriminatory.
• The Venue must not consume or permit the use of illegal substances on the premises during the event.
• The Venue must ensure the talent's performance area is safe and free from hazards.
• The Venue is responsible for obtaining all necessary event permits and licences from relevant UAE or Lebanese authorities.
• Any physical, verbal, or sexual harassment of talent by venue staff or attendees will result in immediate account termination and potential legal referral.

4.4 Damage & Liability

• The Venue accepts full liability for any damage to the talent's equipment caused by venue staff, patrons, or conditions within the venue.
• In the event of equipment damage, the Venue agrees to compensate the talent for reasonable repair or replacement costs, to be determined by Stagely in its sole discretion.

5. Talent Terms — Performance Obligations

By accepting a booking on Stagely, the talent ("Talent") agrees to the following obligations in full:

5.1 Punctuality & Attendance

• Talent must arrive at the venue at least 30 minutes before the agreed start time for setup and soundcheck.
• If Talent anticipates any delay, they must notify Stagely support immediately — not the venue directly — so we can manage the situation professionally.
• Failure to arrive on time without prior notice constitutes a breach of contract and may result in forfeiture of payment and account suspension.

5.2 Professional Conduct

• Talent must maintain a professional standard of conduct at all times during the event.
• Talent must not consume alcohol or illegal substances before or during the performance.
• Talent must dress appropriately for the agreed event type and maintain respectful communication with venue staff and guests.
• Talent must not make offensive, discriminatory, or harmful statements during their performance.
• Talent must perform for the full agreed duration. Early departure without venue consent is a breach of contract.

5.3 Equipment & Technical Responsibility

• Talent is responsible for bringing their own professional-grade equipment unless otherwise agreed in writing via the booking notes.
• Talent must ensure all equipment is in proper working condition before the event.
• Stagely is not liable for equipment failure or theft at the venue.

5.4 Performance Quality

• Talent agrees to deliver a performance consistent with their Stagely profile, package description, and any pre-agreed setlist or brief.
• Misrepresentation of skills or services on the Platform is grounds for immediate account termination.

5.5 Cancellations by Talent

• Talent may cancel a confirmed booking only in genuine emergencies. All cancellations must be submitted via Stagely — not communicated informally to the venue.
• Excessive cancellations (more than 2 per 12-month period) will result in account review and potential suspension.
• Refer to the Cancellation Policy for applicable kill fees.

5.6 Profile Accuracy

• Talent must keep their profile, portfolio, and pricing up to date at all times.
• Using another person's photos, videos, or credentials is strictly prohibited and constitutes fraud.
• Talent prices displayed on the Platform are binding for any booking submitted during the period the price is live.

6. Fees, Payments & Escrow

6.1 Platform Fee

Stagely charges venues a 15% service fee on every booking, added on top of the talent's quoted rate. This fee is non-refundable once a booking is confirmed and a deposit received.

6.2 Stagely's Role as Payment Agent & Escrow Intermediary

Stagely operates exclusively as a payment collection agent and escrow intermediary on behalf of talent. By using the Platform, all parties expressly acknowledge and agree to the following:

• Stagely collects the total booking amount from the venue on behalf of the talent, acting as agent and not as principal or beneficial owner of the talent's portion of any payment.
• The full payment received from the venue is held by Stagely in trust. Of the total amount collected, only the 15% platform service fee constitutes Stagely's income. The remaining 85% is held as a liability on behalf of the talent and is not Stagely's revenue.
• Stagely does not purchase, resell, or intermediately own the performance services rendered by talent. Talent are independent contractors who transact directly with venues; Stagely facilitates and secures the transaction.
• The holding of funds by Stagely prior to event completion is a protective escrow mechanism for both parties — it does not alter the nature of Stagely's role as agent.
• This agency and escrow structure is binding on all parties and governs the characterisation of all payments processed through the Platform for accounting, tax, and regulatory purposes.

6.3 Escrow Release Conditions

Stagely releases the talent's portion of funds only after all of the following conditions are met:

• The event has taken place on the confirmed date
• The full payment has been received from the venue
• No valid dispute has been raised within the dispute window
• Stagely has reviewed and approved the release

6.4 Payout Timeline

Talent payouts are processed within 3–7 business days after the booking is marked as completed by Stagely. Talent must have a connected Stripe account on file to receive payment. Stagely is not responsible for delays caused by Stripe's own processing or banking intermediaries.

6.5 Failed Payments

If a venue's payment fails, the booking is placed on hold and the venue has 2 hours to resolve the payment before the booking is cancelled. Stagely will notify the venue immediately via email.

7. Cancellation & Refund Policy

Full cancellation terms including refund amounts and kill fees are detailed in the Cancellation & Refund Policy, which forms an integral part of these Terms and is incorporated herein by reference.

Key points:

• Cancellations must be submitted through the Platform — not informally via WhatsApp, phone, or email.
• The date and time of the cancellation request as recorded by Stagely's system is the binding timestamp for determining the applicable refund tier.
• Stagely's 15% platform fee is non-refundable in all circumstances once a deposit has been received.

8. No-Show & Late Arrival Policy

Talent No-Show

• A talent is considered a no-show if they fail to arrive within 45 minutes of the agreed start time without prior notification to Stagely.
• The venue receives a full refund of all amounts paid.
• The talent forfeits all entitlement to payment, including any kill fee.
• Stagely reserves the right to permanently suspend the talent's account for no-shows.

Talent Late Arrival

• If talent arrives between 15–45 minutes late, the venue may elect to proceed with the performance or cancel.
• If the venue proceeds, the full fee applies. If the venue cancels, a 50% refund is issued.
• Repeated late arrivals (3+ within 12 months) will result in account suspension pending review.

Venue Disruption / Early Dismissal

• If a venue asks the talent to stop performing early without cause, the full agreed fee is still payable.
• If the venue asks the talent to stop due to genuine breach of performance obligations by the talent, Stagely will adjudicate the refund or kill fee on a case-by-case basis.

9. Non-Circumvention & Exclusivity

To protect the integrity of the marketplace and the trust of both parties:

• Venues and talent are prohibited from arranging bookings or payments outside the Platform for any talent they first discovered or connected with through Stagely.
• This non-circumvention obligation lasts for 24 months from the date of first contact on the Platform.
• Any attempt to share personal contact details, bank details, or social media contacts for the purpose of bypassing Stagely's booking system is a material breach of these Terms.
• Breach of this clause entitles Stagely to claim damages equivalent to the platform fees that would have been due, plus any additional losses incurred.

10. Prohibited Conduct

The following are strictly prohibited on the Stagely platform. Violation may result in immediate account termination and/or referral to law enforcement:

• Fraud, misrepresentation, or impersonation of any person or business
• Uploading or sharing pornographic, sexually explicit, or illegal content
• Harassment, threats, abuse, or discrimination based on gender, nationality, religion, race, or any other protected characteristic
• Solicitation of sexual services in any form
• Use of the platform to facilitate money laundering, tax evasion, or any criminal activity
• Hacking, data scraping, reverse engineering, or attacking Stagely's infrastructure
• Creating fake reviews, ratings, or testimonials
• Using automated bots, scripts, or tools to interact with the Platform
• Listing talent services that you are not qualified or authorised to offer
• Offering or accepting payments in cash while misrepresenting the booking on Platform

11. Disputes & Resolution

Between Venue and Talent

All disputes arising from a booking must be reported to Stagely within 48 hours of the incident via the dispute submission form in the user dashboard or by emailing contact@elbachdigital.com.

Stagely will review evidence provided by both parties (photos, screenshots, communications) and issue a final decision within 5 business days. Stagely's decision is final and binding on both parties.

Against Stagely

Any claim against Stagely must be brought within 6 months of the event giving rise to the claim. Claims not raised within this window are permanently waived.

Prior to initiating any formal legal proceedings, users must first attempt to resolve disputes informally with Stagely by contacting contact@elbachdigital.com and allowing 14 business days for a response.

Mediation

If informal resolution fails, both parties agree to attempt mediation through a mutually agreed UAE-licensed mediator before pursuing arbitration or litigation.

12. Intellectual Property & Content

Your Content

By uploading photos, videos, audio, or text to the Platform, you grant Stagely a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to display, reproduce, and promote that content solely for Platform operations and marketing purposes (e.g. featuring a talent on the browse page or in promotional materials).

You retain all ownership of your original content. You may request removal of your content by deleting your account or contacting support.

Stagely's IP

All Stagely branding, code, design, copy, and platform features are the exclusive property of ELBACH Digital FZ-LLC. You may not copy, reproduce, or create derivative works without written permission.

Event Photography & Recording

Venues may photograph and video-record performances for their own promotional use. Talent consent to this unless they have explicitly stated otherwise in their booking notes. Commercial exploitation of performance recordings (e.g. streaming, broadcast, selling) requires a separate written agreement with the talent.

13. Identity Verification (KYC)

To maintain platform integrity and comply with UAE regulatory requirements, Stagely requires all users to complete identity verification ("KYC") before booking or accepting bookings:

• Talent must submit a valid government-issued ID (passport or Emirates ID / Lebanese ID).
• Venues must submit a valid Trade Licence, authorised signatory passport, and Emirates ID (or Lebanese equivalent).
• Stagely verifies documents manually and may request additional information at any time.
• Submitting false or altered documents is fraud and will result in immediate permanent ban and referral to relevant authorities.
• KYC documents are stored securely and handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

14. Account Suspension & Termination

Stagely reserves the right to suspend or permanently terminate any account at its sole discretion, with or without prior notice, for reasons including but not limited to:

• Breach of any provision of these Terms
• Receipt of multiple substantiated complaints from other users
• Evidence of fraud, circumvention, or illegal activity
• Failure to complete KYC verification within a reasonable timeframe
• Extended account inactivity (12+ months)
• False or misleading profile information

Upon termination, any pending bookings will be cancelled and applicable refund/kill fee policies applied. Stagely's obligations to the terminated user are limited to processing any due payments for completed bookings.

Users may also voluntarily delete their account via the settings page. Account deletion removes your public profile but Stagely retains booking records and transaction data for 7 years as required by UAE commercial law.

15. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Stagely (ELBACH Digital FZ-LLC), its directors, officers, employees, agents, and partners from and against any claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of, or inability to use, the Platform
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any applicable law or regulation
• Any content you submit to the Platform
• Your interaction with any other user of the Platform

16. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates. Any disputes not resolved through mediation shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) or, at Stagely's election, any other competent UAE court.

For users in Lebanon, UAE law applies in its entirety. Nothing in these Terms limits Stagely's right to seek injunctive relief in any jurisdiction.

17. Changes to These Terms

Stagely may update these Terms at any time. We will notify registered users of material changes via email at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Platform after that date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page always reflects the most current version. We recommend bookmarking this page and reviewing it periodically.

18. Contact

For all legal, compliance, or Terms-related enquiries: