CASSOPOLIS — A Cass County-based artist group is calling all local creatives to apply to participate in an upcoming art show to be hosted this summer in Cassopolis.

Currently, the Cass Area Artists, an artist group with members from all across Cass County, is hosting an open call for artists to participate in its annual art show. Applications to participate in the show are due by May 1. Applications can be found online at cassareaartists.org or in person at the Dowagiac District Library. As the show is juried, there is a $10 jury fee and a $45 fee for booth space. Proceeds from the event will be used to provide art class scholarships to area students.

The Cass Area Artist’s fifth annual summer art show will be hosted July 20 at the grounds of the Cass County Council on Aging Lowe Center, 60525 Decatur Road, Cassopolis. During the show, there will be prizes for top artists placing first, second and third.

“We are looking for about 30 artisans together, but we would love to fill up the grounds at the Council on Aging,” said Tom Rose, director of the Cass Area Artists. “[The art show] provides a venue for the artists to display and sell their work and also allows the community to enjoy the cultural value associated with that.”

Serving as more than just a cultural experience, Rose said the art show is a good way for local artists to receive exposure. He added that most artists enjoy the event, estimating that 90 percent of artists that have participated in past shows return year after year.

“It’s a good name recognition event,” he said. “Some visitors even collect [from artists participating in the show]. It’s just a fun thing to do.”

Speaking personally, Rose said that as an artist, he enjoys the annual show because it allows him to share his art with the public.

“When you paint something, you get really involved in it, and you become part of it for a while, which is part of the joy of painting,” he said. “I really sharing that and seeing people’s response to a piece. … I think the same thing holds for many artists and our 3-D artists that make bowls and jewelry and things that people use in their day-to-day lives.”

Because of the opportunity for artists to share their work with the community, Rose said he encourages any artist to apply for the upcoming summer art show.

“There is such a community feeling at the shows, and everyone really seems to have a lot of fun,” he said. “We [the Cass Area Artists] enjoy that we are able to provide that.”

For more information, visit cassareaartists.org.