Not My Monkey Art Exhibition 25 July - 16 August 2026

Plant Empire invites entries to join an open group art exhibition with the theme "Not My Monkey" from 25 July to 16 August 2026.
"Not my monkey" is a popular idiom that is shorthand for the expression "not my circus, not my monkeys". This expression derives from the Polish proverb "Nie mój cyrk, nie moje małpy" and implies that if you don't own the circus, you aren't responsible for wrangling the mischievous monkeys.
Format
Entries are invited for artworks to be displayed and sold in this exhibition. Works in this exhibition can be any size or medium and engage with the exhibition theme. Artworks could engage with subject matters including (but in no way limited to): circuses, monkeys, mischief, animal protection, language, and popular culture. Entries that are accepted in the exhibition will be displayed and available for sale at Plant Empire’s premises in Tennyson and/or online.
Prize/s
A prize in the form of a Plant Empire voucher worth $250 will be awarded to the best entry (or entries). A judge selected by Plant Empire’s owner and manager will decide on the winning entry (or entries). The judge’s decision/s will be final.
Entries
Entries for this exhibition must be submitted online using the 2-step process below. Please refer to the terms and conditions listed below before entering your work/s.
STEP 1: Pay the entry fee/s online using this link: https://plantempire.com.au/products/nmme26. After your payment has been received, you will receive an order confirmation by email (or sms if you didn't include your email address with your payment): take a note of this order number to include with your entry in step 2.
STEP 2: Submit an entry using the online submission form: https://plantempire.com.au › pages › nmme26-entry-submission-form. Submit a separate entry for each work you are entering for consideration in the exhibition. You will receive an email confirmation with your entry details following submission.
Entries for this exhibition will be assessed continuously throughout the entry period, so artists are encouraged to submit entries as early as possible to maximise the amount of time available to create the finished artwork.
The deadline for final entries is Sunday 5 July 2026.
Terms and Conditions
1. The instructions contained elsewhere on this page and as part of the online entry submission form part of these terms and conditions.
2. Entries attract a non-refundable $25 entry fee, which is payable at the time of entry.
3. Applications must be received through the online submission process by the deadline. Outcomes will be notified by email.
4. Entries will be available for sale at a price nominated by its creator.
5. Exhibitors will be invited to volunteer their time to help with running the exhibition (de/installing the exhibition and/or staffing the exhibition to provide opportunities to interact with customers) as part of a shared exhibitor roster over the course of the exhibition. Volunteering is optional and won't influence whether or not your work is accepted for the exhibition; however, it will determine the amount of commission that is retained from the sale of your work (see next point).
6. Plant Empire will retain a proportion of the amount received for sold items as commission, which will be a different rate for artists who volunteer their time to help run the exhibition and other artists who are not volunteers, according to the following table:
- 30% commission for artists who are volunteers.
- 40% commission for artists who are not volunteers.
7. In the event that an artist volunteers to help run the exhibition and is not able to fulfil that commitment for any reason, sales of their work will revert to the higher rate of commission; however, if Plant Empire cancels the shift, the commission will stay at the lower level.
8. Artists located outside Brisbane are encouraged to apply. Entries that aren’t able to be displayed at Plant Empire’s premises will be displayed online.
9. Plant Empire will handle sales of works during the exhibition.
10. Applicants will be responsible for maintaining their work for the course of the exhibition (if maintenance is required), and removing it afterwards if it remains unsold.
11. Plant Empire will not be responsible for any breakages or losses during the exhibition. Applicants displaying works involving sculptures or installations will be required to hold public liability insurance.
12. Responses to frequently asked questions which may be added from time to time on this webpage form part of the exhibition terms and conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Is it possible to submit more than one application for the exhibition?
A: Yes.
- Q: If I submit more than one application, will I need to pay an entry fee for each one?
A: Yes, each application will attract a $25 entry fee.
- Q: Are fees payable for all entries, or just successful entries?
A: The entry fee are payable for all entries at the time of submission.
- Q: Will I receive a refund if my entry is not successful?
A: No.
- Q: If I submit a series of works, can I pay one application fee but still price them separately?
A: You can enter a series as one work and price it as one work; but if you want them priced separately, each work will attract a $25 entry fee.
- Q: If I submit more than one entry, can I submit them together?
A: No, each entry should be submitted separately using the submission form.
- Q: If I submit more than one application, do I need to submit them all at the same time?
A: No, applications can be submitted at any time up until the deadline.
- Q: Can the work to be considered for the upcoming exhibition be prints of original artwork?
A: No. Works included in the exhibition are to be unique original as appropriate for the medium.
- Q: What type of insurance do you expect?
A: Applicants displaying high risk artworks, such as larger sculptures or installations, will be required to hold public liability insurance. It is not a requirement for you to hold insurance (at your own risk) if you are displaying other low-risk artworks such as paintings. We won’t be held responsible for breakages or losses during the exhibition.
- Q: Can I add entries after the deadline?
A: No.
- Q: Can I withdraw entries after the deadline, and is the entry fee refundable if so?
A: Yes, you can withdraw entries after the deadline; but the entry fee applies is non-refundable.
- Q: Will works that are generated using artificial intelligence in part or in whole be accepted?
A: No.
- Q: Can I enter a collaborative work with more than one artist?
A: Yes, but you'll need to nominate one artist who will serve as the main contact and receive correspondence and payments, which we will assume is the email address used on the entry.
Contact
Please email team@plantempire.com.au with any questions regarding this exhibition or the submission process.