Embracing Our Differences

The centerpiece of Embracing Our Differences is an outdoor juried art exhibit featuring 39 billboard size images (12.5 feet by 16 feet) created by local, national and international artists and writers. The display reflects the artists' interpretations of the theme "enriching lives through diversity." The exhibit is displayed annually in Island Park on Sarasota’s bay front as well as Riverwalk Park in downtown Bradenton. The 2014 exhibit hosted 293,000 visitors to Island Park bringing total attendance, since 2004, to more than 1,900,000.

The 2012 exhibit received 4,502 submissions representing 53 countries and 40 states including such distant lands as China, Greece, India, Israel, Japan, Romania, and Thailand. More than 65% of the submissions were made by students from 127 schools in 14 countries.

Of great importance to furthering the mission of Embracing Our Differences is the impact of our education program which, in 2012, served 23,647 students from 186 schools. More than 117,000 students have participated during the past nine years.