It’s about art, but that’s not all.

There will also be a ton of civic pride on display when the 10th Annual Kenmore Art Show and Festival kicks off Aug. 23 and runs through Aug. 31.

Residents will get a double dose of Kenmore celebrations as the art show coincides with the city’s 10th anniversary events Aug. 30.

“It’s a gratifying thing and you put a lot of work into it. You feel like you’re doing something very good for the city,” said Jo Ann Evans, an Arts of Kenmore volunteer. “I get excited. I’ll set aside about 2 ½ weeks each August and do nothing else … it’s crunch time.”

It’s also spread-the-glory time at this year’s event, which will feature not just one, but a dozen or more Arts of Kenmore guest artists showing their pieces in the Northlake Lutheran Church library. The remaining artists from around the state — up to 300 paid entries — will set up shop in other church rooms.

Howard Dale was the first guest artist with a retrospective display after he died in 2001. There’s been one featured artist each year since then, but the Arts of Kenmore crew is painting a new picture this year.

“We were having a board meeting, and Char Crawford (wife of Kenmore’s first mayor, Jack Crawford) asked, ‘Why don’t we let all the members of the Arts of Kenmore be the guest artists?’” said Roland Lindstrom, chairman of the art show. “I think it’s great. I think people are going to be really surprised with the quality of stuff we’re going to have in there.”

Lindstrom added that Kenmore-area folks are creative.

“I think (the show) is a celebration of the talent people have,” he said. “It’s organizations like ours that tries to bring it out.”

Among the unjudged items on tap in the library will be a handmade guitar, teddy bears constructed of handmade boiled wool fabric, a wood bird-mask carving, a custom chair in walnut and seine cord and a slew of paintings and photographs.

Art outside the library will be judged in four categories: painting/drawing, sculpture, photography and artisan works. About $4,000 in prize money will be awarded, plus a purchase award of $1,000 funded jointly by the art show and the city of Kenmore. The item will belong to the city and be hung in City Hall, according to Lindstrom. All juried entries are for sale, of which 20 percent goes to the Arts of Kenmore; last year, 33 items sold grossed $7,096.

Lindstrom, who retired as president of the Arts of Kenmore but remains involved in the nonprofit corporation, said this year’s edition tops all other Kenmore shows.

“It’s grown. I was elated when I saw the first entries come in (10 years ago),” he said. “They don’t compare to what we have today.”

Added Evans: “It’s really developed into being an outstanding show.”

• The free show is open to the public from 2:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 23-31 at the Northlake Lutheran Church, 6620 N.E. 185th St., Kenmore. There will also be musical entertainment from 7-8 p.m. daily.