(June 30, 2023) Embracing Our Differences received a $10,000 grant from The Exchange’s new Elizabeth Lindsay Arts in Education initiative during a grant ceremony on June 8. The $10,000 grant will provide funds for the organization’s free Make-A-Day of It! field trip program, which provides bus transportation and docent-led tours for thousands of students and teachers to visit EOD’s annual outdoor exhibits. Classes who visit the exhibits are also provided the opportunity to continue their experience at one of EOD’s community partners, including Florida Studio Theatre, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Mote Marine Laboratory, The Ringling, and Sarasota Art Museum.
Sarah Wertheimer, the executive director of Embracing Our Differences, says that since 2014 more than 123,000 students have taken field trips to the exhibit. “In addition to learning how to critically think about artwork, the Make-A-Day of It! program enables students to expand their mindsets and viewpoints. Whether they’re learning about the diversity of nature or experiencing an additional art medium, students gain the understanding that the world is bigger than their own perspective. We’re grateful to The Exchange for its commitment to providing resources for students and educators to participate in our region’s rich diversity of arts and cultural experiences.”
This year, The Exchange awarded $500,000 to 24 regionally based arts and cultural organizations and 14 high school and college students.
While Embracing Our Differences is best known for its annual international art exhibitions, the organization’s year-round education initiatives include professional development opportunities for educators, reading days, unity days, and other learning programs and events. Wertheimer says that these ongoing arts education programs “represent the most important aspect of our efforts – reaching and impacting the lives of thousands of students and teachers locally and around the world.” She explains that, since 2004, more than 587,000 students have participated, including 58,122 students and 1,981 teachers during the 2022-2023 school year alone.
For more information about Embracing Our Differences, call 941-404-5710, or visit www.embracingourdifferences.org.
About Embracing Our Differences
Embracing Our Differences is a nonprofit organization that uses the transformational power of art and education to celebrate and promote the diversity of the human family. It accomplishes this through an annual, large-scale outdoor juried art exhibition and a comprehensive series of educational initiatives, programs and resources designed for teachers and students. Visit www.embracingourdifferences.org.