Embracing Our Differences, a nonprofit organization, is now accepting submissions for its 2026 international outdoor exhibitions in Sarasota and St. Petersburg. The juried exhibition features 50 billboard-sized artworks paired with quotations, with categories for visual art and original quotes. Submissions are free and open to all ages and backgrounds, with a deadline of July 1. Winners receive cash prizes, including Best-in-Show and People's Choice awards, and student winners share $2,000 with their school's art or language arts program.
The call for submissions matters because the exhibition has a proven track record of global engagement—over 10,000 submissions from 122 countries and 46 U.S. states in 2025—and has attracted more than 4.8 million visitors over 22 years. By inviting diverse voices to explore themes of kindness, respect, and empathy through art, the organization continues to use creative expression as a tool for social connection and community building, reinforcing the power of public art to inspire positive change.