The Pocono Arts Council, along with several local partners, will host “The Earth Speaks V: A Juried Exhibition on the Environmental Crisis” this spring at the Dunning Art Gallery, Northampton Community College Monroe Campus, in Tannersville.

The show, now in its fifth year, grew out of past Pocono Arts Council board President Mark Lichty’s deepening concern for the climate crisis currently affecting the planet.

Explaining the focus of the show, Lichty said, “Art has always been a powerful vehicle for raising consciousness, and this exhibit hopes to bring to light our growing awareness of a crisis we can no longer ignore.”

Local partners include Northampton Community College Monroe Campus, Monroe County Conservation District and East Stroudsburg University.

The juror for the show is Harry C. Tabak from New Paltz, New York, whose early work reflects his bond to nature through his landscape paintings.

For nearly two decades, Tabak’s art reflects a social commentary with an emphasis on environmental issues. He began to explore sculpture as a medium in 2001, utilizing found natural materials, creating the basis for his current experiments often described as “three dimensional drawings.”

His compositions include wood, stone, glass, discarded broken materials, as well as metallic objects. Tabak studied painting and sculpture at The Art Students League of New York and attended Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York.

“The Earth Speaks V” is a regional open call for work that focuses the public’s attention on the gravity of environmental issues. Artists from the following states are invited to enter: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia.

Download the prospectus and enter online at www.poconoarts.org/earthspeaks.

There is no limit to the number of entries. Students are encouraged to enter. The following fees apply: Student: $15 for first two entries, $10 for each additional entry; Adult (PoconoArts member): $20 for first two entries, $15 for each additional entry; Adult (nonmember): $30 for first two entries, $25 for each additional entry.

The deadline for submission is Feb. 8. Notification of accepted entries will be on or around Feb. 15. Winning entries arrive at the Dunning Art Gallery, on or before March 28.

The Earth Speaks V Exhibition will take place at the Dunning Art Gallery, April 6-May 28. The exhibit reception at the gallery will be held April 27.

To cover exhibition fees and support artist expression, the Pocono Arts Council is seeking sponsorships for “The Earth Speaks V” from local businesses and community members at a minimum $250 level of support. Details are available at http://poconoarts.org/support/become-a-sponsor.

For more information, call 570-476-4460 or email info@poconoarts.org.