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."

View a short video (above)
of our 2005 Exhibit.
(Download Adobe Flash Player)

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 550,000 visitors. Our 2008 exhibit drew a record setting number of submissions from 1,626 artists (a 206% increase over 2007) and 434 quotation authors. Submissions were received from across the suncoast as well as from 30 different countries and 29 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 30,000 students have benefits 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.

2009 CALL TO ARTISTS & QUOTATION WRITERS

Become a part of Embracing Our Differences 2009!

Download submission forms now for Artists & Quotation Writers.

• CLICK HERE to download the 2009 Call To Artists for the 2009 Exhibit (4-page PDF).

• CLICK HERE to download the 2009 Call For Quotations for the 2009 Exhibit (2-page PDF).

• CLICK HERE to submit a quotation online for the 2009 Exhibit.