Somewhat smart, is trying to show skill (8)
I believe the answer is:
artistry
'skill' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'somewhat smart is trying to' is the wordplay.
'somewhat' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue.
'ARTISTRY' is hidden within 'smart is trying to'.
'show' is the link.
(Other definitions for artistry that I've seen before include "Performer's skill" , "Creativity" , "Expertise" , "Superior skill" , "Creative flair" .)