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What are the Terms & Conditions for Curious Creatures' workshops?
I don't know where to start! What's a good beginning event?
I have no experience in kink or tantra, does it matter?
I’m very experienced in kink, are these workshops suitable?
Are your workshops useful for single people?
Will I be the 'odd one out' if I'm not part of a couple?

Will I have to do anything I’m not comfortable with?
Is there sexual energy or nudity in your workshops?
Is someone of my gender/sexuality identity or expression welcome?
I have more than one partner, are they welcome too?
Is your venue wheelchair accessible?
What’s your cancellation policy? Can I get a refund?

Will I be supported if I feel uncomfortable at your workshop?
The ticketing is in 'rounds' with different prices - what does this mean?
Is there a prerequisite for certain workshops?
I'm a bit worried about arousal at the workshop. Is it okay if I get an erection?
For events with male/female pairings, will there be an even number of genders?
Can I just pay cash on the day, rather than booking in and paying online?

Can I sell my ticket or swap it?
Is Curious Creatures registered for GST?
Am I too old or too young to attend?
Are these events safe for women?
Are your workshops suitable for people recovering from sexual assault / rape?
Why don’t your workshop descriptions offer many promises?
What are the Terms & Conditions for Curious Creatures' workshops?
Please refer to 'Terms and Conditions' on our polices page 
I don't know where to start! What's a good beginning event?
Events that are popular with first-timers include:    
We recommend you have a good read of the description of each event including the section 'WHO IS THIS FOR AND NOT FOR'. Feel into yourself for which event might be right for you at this time. Everybody's journey is different, and you are the only one who can decide what is right for you, and when. (This may be a revolutionary idea to you! All our events are based around a model of consent, boundaries, and great communication. This includes making decisions mindfully for yourself - this could be your first step in empowerment.)

If you don't feel ready (yet) to attend an event in-person, you may like to try out our online events instead. This can be a good way to ease in and find out what the workshop experience is like. Pre-recorded workshops can be an even easier first step, since you'll have complete privacy. See our menu for what's on offer.

If you decide our events aren't right for you now, or ever, that's perfect too.
I have no experience in kink or tantra, does it matter?
It does not; you are welcome as you are.  In particular, our workshops Fun Little Sex Games (in-person, online or pre-recorded), and Adventurous Touch and Intimacy (formerly 'Kink 101'), are designed to be relevant to people with no prior experience.  And while people sometimes have strong or moving experiences in these workshops, they are in general carefully structured to be a gentle or moderate introduction to their respective topics.

For other workshops, have a read of the section on 'Who is this for?  Who is this not for?' for more of an indication of what sort of level of background experience might be required.  If there are pre-requisites, it's clearly stated.

I’m very experienced in kink, are these workshops suitable?
It depends on what you're after.  Curious Creatures focus on the core fundamentals, what you might call the 'meta skills', of good communication and sexual practices.  We take these to a pretty advanced level, and we often have people who have been on the scene for many years be surprised at just how much they learned about what they thought they already knew.

If it's high-level technical skills development you're after, we might refer you to some other providers like Eagle Leather, Blue-Velvet Arts, and Fetish House.

Our play-party event, 'The Practice Lab Play-Party' is one of Australia's more adventurous events and is suitable for more experienced folks including people experienced in kink.

Are your workshops useful for single people?
Definitely.  In some of our workshops you only do activities / exercises with the person you arrive with (the 'couples' versions); others are for 'singles' (who work with other singles), and some are for both.

You'll learn a lot, regardless.

If you're interested in meeting people, workshops for singles can be a really nice way to engage with a range of folks, in a relatively safe and bounded way.  They don't have the atmosphere of being a pick-up style of event, but we'd be lying if we said that no relationships had started at our workshops.

Will I be the 'odd one out' if I'm not part of a couple?
No.  For workshops where there's a mix of couples and singles present (ie. where you can work with only the person you arrived with, or with others), we generally keep a balance of numbers so that there's a good critical mass of both couples and singles present.

Will I have to do anything I’m not comfortable with?
We will generally describe all activities before they begin, so that you can decide whether or not they're right for you.  We encourage you to overrule anything we say, or anything we suggest, with your own knowledge about what would actually be right for you - you are the only expert on being you.

For most of our workshops - especially the more introductory ones - all activities have been carefully designed so that you can keep them capped at the level that's right for you; for instance, if you're doing a touch-based activity but you don't want to go too far with it, you can limit it to only include touch on a part of your body that feels okay - as an example, most people are comfortable having their hands touched, so that might be your limit.

We generally gear our workshops with a bias towards 'softly, softly', rather than reaching for dangerous and unsustainable strong or cathartic experiences.  We adopt the policy of "do no harm" as much as possible.  However, we run workshops on topics that are not always 'comfortable', such as sexuality, gender, kink, touch, relationships, and self-development.  By definition, we cannot guarantee safety or comfort, even though we have done everything we can to support those ideals.

We can promise you won't be pushed into anything that's not right for you.  You will be supported in asserting whatever limits and boundaries are right for you.  And in general, we strongly avoid the 'element of surprise' - we much prefer informed consent.  We consistently receive the feedback that what happens in workshops matches what's described in promotional materials.

Is there sexual energy or nudity in your workshops?
In some workshops, some people choose to be less than fully clothed for some activities, however there is never an expectation or requirement that you will be naked or sexual.  All workshops state how much sexual content or nudity will be involved, towards the end of the workshop description.

Is someone of my gender/sexuality identity or expression welcome?
Curious Creatures is passionately committed to sexuality and gender diversity and inclusivity.  You can read our (rather extensive) policy here.

I have more than one partner, are they welcome too?
Absolutely.  We are very friendly towards many relationship models.  We even run a workshop which is about examining which relationship model might be right for you (especially if you're considering a non-monogamous model), 'Opening Up to Opening Up' (in-person or online).

A lot of our sexuality workshops include activities that are designed for two people to do, as a pair.  Most of these work well, or even better, in threesomes; for instance, the 'chest harness and blindfold' activity from Adventurous Touch and Intimacy (formerly 'Kink 101') is, arguably, more fun with two people leading a third person.  However, in the example of 'eye gazing' in Fun Little Sex Games, some activities are difficult as a threesome, and you might need to take turns.  But we're very happy to work with you on that, and it will fit in fine.

Is your venue wheelchair accessible?
We regret that our current venue is not wheelchair accessible.  We are working towards finding a venue that is, and we are also exploring the possibility of bringing our workshops to spaces that are already hosting communities and / or events that are more accessible.

What's your cancellation policy? Can I get a refund?
Please see our refund policy.

Will I be supported if I feel uncomfortable at your workshop?
If something doesn't sit well with you, you certainly won't be shamed or shunned.  A range of reactions and responses are welcomed.

Most activities are discussed and debriefed afterwards, either in pairs, small groups, or in the group as a whole.  Typically, great conversations come from exploring people's discomforts, and they are welcomed.  The nature of exploring topics like sexuality is that we do sometimes stumble across uncomfortable things, and to a degree, that's why we explore them in the first place.

At some events (such as our intimacy party, Curiosity), we have emotional support staff on hand, out of recognition that the material is often more adventurous.  In all workshops, the facilitator is generally available during breaks and at the end of the workshop.  A phone call is also possible following a workshop, and a list of counsellors familiar with all topics that are likely to come up are on the recommended resources page of the Curious Creatures website.

We strongly advice having a careful read of full workshop descriptions before booking in, so that you can gauge how well aligned the material is likely to be with your personal growth.

The ticketing is in 'rounds' with different prices - what does this mean?
Our 'rounds' of tickets are really simple: they're all the same, except that some of them are cheaper, to encourage you to book in early (because it makes a huge difference to us in terms of planning).
Round One tickets are similar to 'early bird' tickets, and make up almost half of all ticket sales.
Round Two tickets, slightly more expensive than Round One, also make up almost half of all ticket sales.
Round Three tickets are generally only there once we're close to being sold out, but can squeeze in a late-comer or two.

If you're feeling generous, you can buy whatever ticket feels right, but in general, folks buy the cheapest ones available.
Is there a prerequisite for certain workshops?
Most of our workshops are stand-alone.

If one of our workshops (such as the The Practice Lab, Show Me The Toys (formerly 'Kink 102'), Intermediate or Advanced Little Sex Games) recommends or requires that something else is done first, it will say so in the section 'Who is this for?' / 'Who is this not for?'.

I'm a bit worried about arousal at the workshop. Is it okay if I get an erection?
Arousal is welcome, but not expected. The main focus of introductory workshops is on academic learning goals, such as concepts and communication skills. Part of the way this is taught is through exercises, and while they’re not designed so that one has to be aroused, that of course sometimes happens. It would be counter to the teaching of sex-positivity to be against arousal, and similarly, to expect it.

So, arousal is welcome, but not expected. Since the purpose of most exercises is simply for both parties to recognise and articulate their boundaries, the exercises themselves don’t change.

For events with male/female pairings, will there be an even number of genders?
We agree this is an important issue; in our experience, if the balance of genders is too far in one direction, it’s not ideal for anyone.

In the ‘male/female pairings’ versions of workshops, we don’t promise exactly 50/50, but via limits put in place at the point of ticketing, we get very close.
In the ‘mixed gender pairings’ versions of workshops, the balance between men, women, and non-binary folks tends to take care of itself; even though there seems to be more single men seeking workshop experiences, they’re usually not as keen to come to ‘mixed gender pairings’ workshops due to societal conditioning (they’re taught that men touching men is a dangerous thing … which is a major mistruth).

By the way, if you happen to be a single man reading this FAQ we invite you to consider trying out the mixed gender pairing workshops! You’re more likely to get a ticket (as the male places at male/female pairing workshops book out so fast), and you’re also likely to discover that touch from other males can be fun and safe. You’ll learn to state your full boundaries around it, which can include ‘no touch at all please’, but even more empowering, you’ll learn that other males are not a threat. Society’s wrong about that. Who knew?! Find out for yourself.

Another important strategy we use is in the way we pair people up at the start of exercises. Rather than say “find someone to do this exercise with” (which tends to leave some people feeling pounced upon, and others left out), we use a random number system (which ensures a good amount of diversity, and takes a lot of the anxiety out of the partnering process). We’ve found this to be an effective strategy.

Lastly, people arrive at our workshops from a lot of social media (and other) sources. There’s not normally much relationship between how event attendance looks on a given platform, and who shows up from where. So for example if you saw this event on meetup.com and there were 6 males and 1 female signed up, you’ll arrive to a group of roughly 15 males and 15 females.

Can I just pay cash on the day, rather than booking in and paying online?
Although we’re all for making things easy, unfortunately, this is not possible for a number of reasons.
  • For some legal and insurance reasons, and just for simply for roll-call, we need accurate records of who attends what workshops.
  • Some workshops get booked out, and some have limits on certain ticket types. This makes it impossible for us to allow for attendees that haven’t booked in.
  • As a formal business, handling cash would require an additional cash-handling system, as well as us finding some other way to capture an individual’s information and then retrospectively enter that data. This would be very inconvenient during workshops.
  • Sadly, people that promise to pay cash on the day sometimes just don’t turn up. We set aside resources, and say ‘no’ to other people when the workshop is booked out, only to be substantially inconvenienced by someone that’s changed their mind. Obviously, not all people that would like to pay cash behave like this, but too many do to make the system sustainable.
  • Finally, to work around the above problems, if we did allow for cash, we would have to increase the cash price to the point that it would be unattractive to almost all people.
If you don’t have a credit card or paypal, you can contact us to make a direct deposit. But, we hope you understand, due to the complexity of running workshops, cash payments at the door are not possible.

Can I sell my ticket or swap it?
Sorry, but this is not possible for a number of reasons. Legally, we need an accurate record of who came to what workshops, especially if some form of follow-up is required. Gender balance in some workshops is crucial, and giving your ticket to a person of a different gender creates substantial problems for us. Finally, some workshops are prerequisites for other workshops, and we rely on accurate booking information to make this safe and appropriate.

For these reasons, under certain circumstances we turn people away at the door, if names don't match bookings. We have a relatively easy and generous refund policy, which we request you use instead of giving away or selling your ticket.
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Are Curious Creatures registered for GST?
Yes, we are.  All of our prices include 10% GST.
Curious Creatures Pty Ltd - ABN 45 623 728 398
Am I too old or too young to attend?
The current age spread is from about 20 to 65 (ranging from workshop to workshop, depending on who books in). We are genuinely accepting of diversity, including diversity of age. Our workshops are not a cliquey kind of space - we encourage inclusivity. Sex-positive people come in all ages! And part of sex-positivity is accepting that we humans age, and that we can still enjoy our bodies (maybe even moreso). Naturally you need to be of consenting age.
Are these events safe for women?
Curious Creatures' workshops have been fundamentally built around the issues that women have been raising in relation to sexuality, collectively and individually, for the last seventy years.  In some ways, these workshops have been willing to ask "What would it look like if we put this theory into practice?" - and it turns out, they look wildly interesting and surprisingly safe!

Consent and communication skills are embedded into our sexuality workshops to a depth that is hard to describe.  We teach exactly how consent should be practiced, and how to get in touch with and assert your boundaries, plus how to respect others' boundaries. Partnered exercises in the workshop can be taken to whatever level is right for you, from platonic to sexual. We also support you leaving a workshop if that's what you discover is right for you.

The ticketing process ensures that an approximate balance of genders is present for M/F pairing events. We acknowledge that, to varying degrees, all of the above mechanisms also make the space safer for men and non-binary gender identities. Yay!
Are your workshops suitable for people recovering from sexual assault / rape?
Whether our workshops are suitable will mostly be up to you, but we can add a few details to assist with your decision-making.
The principal facilitator has a solid training in assault, trauma, and counselling (but not formal qualifications).  'Trauma Informed Facilitation' is built into most of what we do.

Specifically, for the most part, we describe or demonstrate all activities before you make a choice as to whether to do them, and we congruently allow you to just do them to a simple level (such as doing a touch-based exercise only on someone’s hands, for instance) or to not do them at all.

Also, it could be argued that most of what we do is in response to what you might call the background noise of bad sexual practices.  For the most part, they’re quite therapeutic for most people who have experienced assault, and they’re quite educational for everyone else.  In particular Fun Little Sex Games (in-person, online or pre-recorded) is a possibly appropriate entry point in that it includes a number of practices and perspectives that might be a useful addition to a healing process.

That said, as with anything in our workshops, please listen to your body’s feedback as you’re reading over the workshop descriptions, and try and notice whether you’re drawn towards them or not.  We’ve tried hard to describe what goes on with a lot of accuracy, rather than using the element of surprise.  Recovery from assault often includes a process of becoming impeccable at honoring what's right for you, and that process includes choosing to go to a workshop (or not).

If you have a level of trauma that’s strong, where it’s likely to put your into a ‘freeze’ state, or where approaching the idea of touch with someone else puts you into a panic, then perhaps it would be good to wait a time.

Please also have a look at our terms and conditions, which give a little more information about what our limits are around psychological states.
Why don’t your workshop descriptions offer many promises?
A note on the language we use, and how capitalism clashes with our sex education.

‘Rape culture’ might be described as a culture that allows, ignores, belittles, or encourages the taking of a person’s sexuality or body without their informed consent.  Curious Creatures exists in large part to provide an alternative that’s better for everyone.

Unfortunately, the nature of marketing and capitalism is in itself often a culture of manipulation and deceit – telling people what they want to hear, and playing on their emotions, in order to get what we want, often without proper informed consent.  And sometimes, through what can only be described as outright theft.

We feel uncomfortable with the crossover between pushy marketing, and our aspirational targets:  Clear communication, good boundaries, and honesty.  So where it would be normal from a marketing perspective to promise many things, we try and use more tempered language – that something we offer might help some people, some of the time.

When you compare our language to the way things are normally done, it may sound like we lack confidence in our products and services.  This is not true – we are actually very confident, and very proud, of what we offer.  But we don’t want to trick you into something, and then have you feel like a failure if you don’t experience a level of change or improvement that should never have been promised.

In the same way that great relationships, and great sex, are built over time through the establishment of trust, we hope that you will come to have a level of trust in the words we use to describe what we offer.

This is a work in progress for us since we are so deeply immersed in a manipulative capitalist culture that we have many blind spots.  We will welcome your polite drawing of our attention to any instances where we might not have gotten the language or tone correct.

Curious Creatures, as seen in:
Curious Creatures Pty Ltd - ABN ​45 623 728 398