The centerpiece of Embracing Our Differences is an outdoor juried art exhibition featuring 50 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 "embracing our differences" The exhibition is displayed annually at Bayfront Park in downtown Sarasota and Poynter Park in St. In 2
024, 422,576 people visited the exhibitions—bringing the total amount of visitors to more than 4.8 million since 2004. The 2025 exhibition had an impressive response to the call for artwork and inspirational quotes, with 10,124 entries pouring in from 122 countries and 46 states. Students from 511 schools around the world submitted artwork or quotations to the juried exhibition and more than 65% of submissions were from students. Also crucial to our mission are our ongoing education initiatives. Presented in partnership with regional school districts and nationally recognized educators, these programs have impacted over 587,000 students since 2004, including 55,357 students and 2,048 teachers last school year.
