SARASOTA – Sarasota’s Bayfront Park is celebrating diversity and inclusion with the return of the ‘Embracing Our Differences Art Exhibit’
The 19th annual Embracing Our Differences free outdoor international art exhibit returned to Sarasota this weekend.
“The exhibit is comprised of 50 billboard sized images, artwork and quotations, submitted form around the world, we received 17,413 submissions this year from 123 countries, 47 states, and 423 schools,” said Executive Director of Embracing Our Differences, Sarah Wertheimer.
This year’s theme, enriching lives through diversity and inclusion, received submissions from students, adults, armatures and professionals. This year’s best in show winner, is a Suncoast student from Parish Community High School.
“And our best in show adult winner, is an art teacher from Sarasota Military Academy Prep, so it’s really incredible that out of all of these thousands of submissions from around the world, that are all judged blindly, local artists and writers have been acknowledged as well and celebrated,” said Wertheimer.
The exhibit aims at encouraging messages of kindness at a young age
“So they can get along with one another, and strive in their school system, and in their own lives and hopefully in their workplace in the future,” said Wertheimer.
Wertheimer says the overall message of the exhibit is for everyone to treat one another with kindness and respect.
“It’s emotional, though provoking, and that’s why we love it, there are so many different ways to connect to the various art pieces, the creative writing submissions, no matter your age, no matter where you are from, you can find something that is meaningful to you, and you are able to express yourself through and understand the artist through,” said Wertheimer.
This free outdoor exhibit is showcased at Sarasota’s Bay Front Park, through April 10th.
