TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2014 /CNW/ - For the first time, the Aimia | AGO Photography Prize will bring its talented finalists to the streets. The travelling Aimia | AGO Photography Prize Art Truck will feature video footage of the four shortlisted artists discussing their practices, offering a glimpse into their artwork and allowing visitors an opportunity to vote for who should win the $50,000 prize. The location of the Art Truck may be tracked using the hashtag #ArtIsMoving or follow us on Twitter @AIMIAAGOPrize.

The Art Truck arrives in Toronto on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014. It makes its first stop at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on Front Street East and continues onto a variety of high-profile locations across the city.

The Prize, co-presented by Aimia, a global leader in loyalty management, and the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), will award each of the four artists a six-week artist residency in Canada and will feature their work in an AGO exhibition, on now through Jan. 4, 2015. The winner will be chosen by public vote via the Prize's website and Facebook page until Oct. 27, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be announced on Oct. 29, 2014, at the AGO, and the Art Truck offers a unique way of voting by using iPads, so that all visitors to the truck can have their say.

The 2014 finalists are:

• David Hartt (Canada);
• Elad Lassry (Israel/USA);
• Nandipha Mntambo (South Africa); and
• Lisa Oppenheim (USA).

The Art Truck was created to break the Prize out of gallery walls and making it accessible by all who walk by. Just for voting, participants will have the opportunity to win an expenses-paid trip to Toronto, a private tour with an AGO curator, dinner for two at the AGO's FRANK restaurant, tickets to an exclusive winner announcement event and 15,000 Aeroplan^® Miles.

Making appearances at several key locations and festivals across Toronto, the Art Truck can be found at:

• The Sony Centre for the Performing Arts; Sept. 27, 2014
• Kensington Market Art Fair; Sept. 28, 2014
• AGO First Thursdays, 317 Dundas Street West; Oct. 2, 2014
• Scotiabank Nuit Blanche (at the AGO); Oct. 4, 2014

For more information about the Art Truck, please visit artmatters.ca or search for #ArtIsMoving on Twitter. For updates on the Prize, further details on the shortlisted artists and additional information, please visit AimiaAGOPhotographyPrize.com and follow @AimiaAGOPrize on Twitter.

ABOUT AIMIA
Aimia, a global leader in loyalty management, has adopted two fundamental principles of loyalty, trust and reciprocity, as the pillars of its global social purpose – to create mutually-beneficial partnerships that leave a lasting impact in our communities. As an enthusiastic patron of the Arts, Aimia supports many Canadian and International arts and culture initiatives through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. Aimia has supported several Canadian cultural organizations including the Art Gallery of Ontario, Art Canada Institute, Business for the Arts, Canadian Art Foundation, the Design Exchange, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the National Gallery of Canada, Luminato Festival, the Walrus Foundation and Canada's presentation at the International Art and Architecture Venice Biennale since 2006. Aimia is proud to engage in a dialogue around the arts through the Aimia l AGO Photography Prize and scholarship program, and through our office art installations in Montreal and Toronto. Visit us at www.aimia.com to learn more.

ABOUT THE AGO
With a collection of more than 80,000 works of art, the Art Gallery of Ontario is among the most distinguished art museums in North America. From the vast body of Group of Seven and signature Canadian works to the African art gallery, from the cutting-edge contemporary art to Peter Paul Rubens' masterpiece The Massacre of The Innocents, the AGO offers an incredible art experience with each visit. In 2002 Kenneth Thomson's generous gift of 2,000 remarkable works of Canadian and European art inspired Transformation AGO, an innovative architectural expansion by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry that in 2008 resulted in one of the most critically acclaimed architectural achievements in North America. Highlights include Galleria Italia, a gleaming showcase of wood and glass running the length of an entire city block, and the often-photographed spiral staircase, beckoning visitors to explore. The AGO has an active membership program offering great value, and the AGO's Weston Family Learning Centre offers engaging art and creative programs for children, families, youth and adults. Visit ago.net to find out more about upcoming special exhibitions, to learn about eating and shopping at the AGO, to register for programs and to buy tickets or memberships.

The Art Gallery of Ontario is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Additional operating support is received from the City of Toronto, the Canada Council for the Arts and generous contributions from AGO members, donors and private-sector partners.

The AGO acknowledges the generous support of Aimia, Signature Partner of the Photography Collection Program and Founding Partner of the Aimia | AGO Photography Prize.

SOURCE AIMIA