About The Exhibit

Coexistence, Inc. proudly presents Embracing Our Differences®, an international outdoor art exhibit intended to demonstrate in a positive way that diversity enriches our lives. The mission of Embracing Our Differences® is to use art as a catalyst for creating awareness and promoting, throughout our community, the value of diversity, the benefits of inclusion and the significance of the active rejection of hatred and prejudice.

The Embracing Our Differences® exhibit features 39 billboard size images created by professional artists, art students, and school children from Florida and around the world. Their creations reflect their interpretation of our message: "enriching lives through diversity."An interesting and inspiring feature of the exhibition is the inclusion of the quotations that accompany each image. These quotations were chosen from entries submitted by members of our community and speak of the value of respecting the differences of others.

Since 2004, the Embracing Our Differences® exhibit has been viewed by more than 850,000 visitors. Our 2010 exhibit drew a record setting number of submissions from 2,518 artists (a 26.9% increase over 2009) and 497 quotation authors. Submissions were received from across the suncoast as well as from 43 different countries and 39 different states. We also received student submissions from 55 different schools and approximately one-third of the art and quotations selected for display were submitted by Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte County public and private school students.

Embracing Our Differences® also reaches out to Sarasota and Manatee County public and private teachers as well as school children, grades K-12, by providing free transportation for field trips and donating supplemental educational materials. We also produce workshops designed to assist teachers create a deeper awareness about diversity and how it enriches all of our lives. Since 2004, more than 70,000 students have benefited from our free educational programs.

Once again, we look forward to this year’s exhibit and providing an opportunity for our community to reflect upon and deepen its awareness that embracing our differences, respecting the views of others and standing up against hatred and prejudice will lead to a better world for everyone. Respecting the beliefs of others is not only a way of thinking and feeling - but most importantly, of acting.