We are delighted to announce our 2026 open call for Blue Monkey Network members, Hive.

This year, we are looking for you to submit work(s) that respond to the theme of Hive.  You can choose to consider this theme in any way that you wish and in any medium.

For example, Hive may make you think about interconnectedness, or community, the shape of things or ways of working or living. Intricate and intimate architectures, spaces or home, or as a metaphor for resilience and fragility. You may want to explore ideas around idiomatic associations with hive such as hive mind, as collective thoughts or group intelligence or, hive of activity, a place bustling with energy, movement, and production. You may want to consider and respond directly to the gallery space itself, with relation to Hive and it being a gallery space made up of small rooms; a labyrinth that will enable us to show a wide range of works in an interesting domestic feeling space. 
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About

The exhibition will be held from 11th to 25th July at Gallery North in Hailsham and in line with previous years, we will be following this with an online exhibition via our website from 1st August.

 

Submission

Submissions are welcome across all media, including installation, sculpture, sound, moving image, and wall-based works.   We are not restricting size, but suggest that, if you are considering submitting something larger, you visit/consider the gallery space.
 

You can submit up to two works, and everyone will have at least one work accepted. Works will be reviewed by our core BMN open call team, looking at the conversations the works have together, plus consideration of space/size.
 

We need one image per artwork.  We can accept up to 3 images if you feel one image does not fully show the work. For example, for sculpture/3D work or for close-up detail of a painting.

 

​Application Process
The open call is free to submit.  Please use the online form at the bottom of this page to enter your artwork details and upload images of your work. 


Criteria for Entry
 

• Blue Monkey Network Members ONLY
   

• Your Blue Monkey Network membership must be valid at the time of application and until the end of August 2026.  You can renew via the website. If your submission is due for renewal in between submission and the exhibition, please ensure it is renewed promptly.  Failure to renew may mean your work is not included or withdrawn.
   

• Members may submit up to 2 works for the exhibition.
   

• Works must be independent of each other, i.e. they can be shown individually. We will also accept diptychs or triptychs - works made up of more than one piece, but with one title and a single price. Pieces will not be sold or exhibited individually.

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• We do not accept AI submissions.

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• All images must be submitted in jpeg format (min 1MB – max 5MB) with the file name format Surname_Initial_Worktitle.  Submissions that do not comply may be excluded from selection.
   

• Works must respond to the theme ‘Hive’ and you are asked to provide a brief explanation to summarise your thinking (max 100 words).
   

• Any work that does not respond to the theme will not be included in the exhibition.
   

• All 2D work must be in a plain frame - white, black or wood - with D rings to gallery standard. Work that is not presented as required may not be included.
   

• Artists must be able to deliver their work on 8 July and collect it at the end of the show. (See Key Dates below). We are unable to accept work by post. Work not delivered on the 8th July will NOT be included in the show.
   

• We have no storage, so work not collected on the collection dates will be destroyed.
   

• Let us know by email in advance if you have asked someone else to collect your work.
   

• Film is accepted, but you must provide the equipment and instructions for running it. To enter this work, please supply links to YouTube/Vimeo, etc, on the application form.
   

• Installation work is accepted.  Please provide installation instructions as one of your images so we can understand how this may work in the gallery space. We may ask you to support the installation of your work.
   

• Please provide your selling price if you wish your work to be offered for sale, to include gallery commission of 20%. If your work is not for sale, please input NFS on the form.
   

• We will be holding 2 events during the exhibition period. An opening event on Saturday 11th July and a Lucky Dip event on Thursday 23rd July 6.00–8 .00 pm when you may get the opportunity to give a short punchy timed talk about your work.  In line with the network's core objectives, we would very much like you to attend at least one of these events for a great opportunity to meet network members and learn more about their work.

If you are not sure if your work/idea fits the brief, then please do join us for the Zoom event in March, as detailed below in the Key Dates.  

If you require any further information or need support with your application or due to special needs, or require support with delivery and collection of your work, then please, in the first instance, contact Nikki by email: bluemonkeynetevents@gmail.com
 

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Key Dates:

Open Call Launch:  6th March
Online Zoom event: Thursday 19th March 6.30–7.30 pm - An informal online talk via Zoom to give inspiration and discuss any ideas or questions
Closing date for entries: 4th May at 6.00 pm 
Email notification of accepted works: By Friday 5th June
Drop off accepted work: Wednesday 8th July (10.00–3.00 pm)
Opening event: Saturday 11th July 5.00–7.00 pm
Exhibition: 11th–25th July.  The gallery is open from 10.00 am–1.00 pm Tuesday & Wednesday, and 10 am–4 pm Thursday to Saturday. Free parking is available in the town’s car parks.
Lucky Dip event: Thursday 23rd July 6.00–8.00 pm
Collection of work: Saturday 25th July 4.00–5.00 pm. Monday 27th July 11.00–2.00 pm


Download Exhibition details as a PDF here

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