The Sarasota County Commission awarded Embracing Our Differences a $43,157 tourist development cultural/arts grant to help fund its 2022 exhibition season, which runs Jan. 15-April 10 in Sarasota’s Bayfront Park. For 18 years, Embracing Our Differences has drawn on the passion and perception of artists, writers, students and others to create powerful statements of diversity and acceptance in its annual outdoor public art exhibition consisting of 50 billboard-sized works of art and accompanying quotes. The outdoor exhibition has attracted more than 3.6 million visitors since its inception in 2004. This exhibit is the heart of a year-round program of initiatives designed to use art and words as a catalyst to create awareness and promote diversity.