TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sept. 11, 2013) - Kevin O'Leary and Brookfield Canada Office Properties today announced the debut of a fine art photography exhibit, featuring original prints from images taken by O'Leary himself. It launches at First Canadian Place in downtown Toronto, where it will run from September 24 until November 15. More locations across Canada will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
O'Leary will donate all profits from the sale of his photographs to aspiring teenage entrepreneurs in an online "Future Dragon" contest launching later this year.
Encouraging Young Entrepreneurs
The outspoken business and TV personality, best known in Canada for his role on CBC's Dragons' Den, drew his inspiration for the exhibit from teenage entrepreneurs, he said.
"Dragons' Den has been a lightning rod for entrepreneurial culture in this country, and I'm lucky to have been a part of that," said O'Leary. "Every day, I meet bright, motivated, young people who want to become entrepreneurs. I want to do something to encourage them."
Lifelong Photographer
O'Leary has had a lifelong interest in high-end photography and art. "Art and photography have always had a place in my life, side-by-side with business, like yin and yang," said O'Leary. "I'm excited to have this opportunity to share that with Canadians, all for the benefit of a cause I care about deeply."
The idea for a photo exhibit came about from widespread interest in O'Leary's photographs. A national newsmagazine ran a story about his interest in the art, and included several images from his collection, explained O'Leary. "That's when people started asking me about my photography. Eventually, I began to wonder if there was a way to harness that interest in support of a great cause."
Brenda Parres, Arts & Events Director at Brookfield Canada Office Properties, agreed. "At Brookfield, we're always looking for creative and innovative ways to use our world-class facilities in a way that inspires our visitors while benefiting the communities and causes we all care about. When we saw Kevin's photographs and learned about this opportunity, we knew we wanted to be a part of it."
About the Exhibit
KEVIN O'LEARY: 40 YEARS OF PHOTOGRAPHY will run from September 24, 2013 to November 15, 2013 at First Canadian Place in downtown Toronto. To view the collection online, visit http:/photos.kevinoleary.com/40years.
For more information on how to purchase limited edition, signed, framed prints to support teenage entrepreneurs, contact Laura Davidson at ldavidson@olearyventures.com.
About Kevin O'Leary
Kevin O'Leary is an entrepreneur and investor. O'Leary is a panelist on CBC's Dragons' Den and ABC's Shark Tank, as well as a contributor on CBC News Network's Lang & O'Leary Exchange. He is chairman of O'Leary Funds and O'Leary Mortgages, as well as the founder of O'Leary Fine Wines. Previously, O'Leary founded and was president of SoftKey (later called The Learning Company), a global educational software company. For more information, visit www.kevinoleary.com and follow @kevinolearytv.
About Brookfield Canada Office Properties
Brookfield Canada Office Properties is Canada's preeminent Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). Its portfolio is comprised of interests in 28 premier office properties totaling 20.7 million square feet in the downtown cores of Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver. Landmark assets include Brookfield Place in Toronto and Bankers Hall in Calgary. For more information, visit www.brookfieldcanadareit.com.
Contact Information:
www.kevinoleary.com
@kevinolearytv