OPP Release Photo of Suspects in Ongoing Theft Investigation

The #CityofKawarthaLakesOPP is seeking assistance in identifying the individuals shown in this image in relation to an ongoing theft investigation in Fenelon Falls. The photo was taken August 24, 2026.

Investigators believe these individuals may have information that could assist with the investigation involving stolen artwork from a local exhibition.

If you recognize anyone in the photo, please contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 and reference occurrence E261224110. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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#CityofKawarthaLakesOPP sollicite votre aide pour identifier les personnes figurant sur cette photo dans le cadre d'une enquête en cours sur un vol à Fenelon Falls. La photo a été prise le 24 août 2026.

Les enquêteurs estiment que ces personnes pourraient détenir des informations susceptibles d'aider à l'enquête concernant le vol d'œuvres d'art lors d'une exposition locale.

Si vous reconnaissez l'une des personnes présentes sur la photo, veuillez contacter l'OPP au 1-888-310-1122 en mentionnant le numéro de dossier E261224110. Si vous souhaitez rester anonyme, contactez Crime Stoppers au 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Art Heist in Downtown Fenelon Falls

August 24, 2026 – Fenelon Falls, ON –The Fenelon Arts Committee (FAC) needs your help. A sculpture is missing from The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition. We believe it was taken sometime on Sunday, August 23, 2026.

‘Hans’ by Rosalinde Baumgartner
2018
black clay
15 x 11 x 8 inches
$2,000

Were you in the area on Sunday evening? Do you have a dash cam or security cameras that may contain footage? Did you hear or see anything unusual? Maybe a beautiful sculpture just made an appearance in your backyard or garbage/recycling bin this week? Were you dared by your friends to do something silly that you now regret? No problem, simply reach out to the FAC and return the work.

Rosalinde Baumgartner, now in her 90s, has been a part of this exhibition since its inception in 2024 and we are so grateful. While installing earlier this year, she shared with the committee how proud she is of this work and believes it to be one of her very best sculptures.

Anyone with information, photos, video footage, or who observed suspicious activity is encouraged to privately email or message the FAC. You may also report directly to the OPP.

Rosalinde has shown up for our village for the last three summers, sharing her work with us. Let’s get this sculpture back where it belongs. Let’s show Rosalinde that Fenelon has her back. Let’s give her and her art practice the respect it deserves.

Darcie Kennedy
Chair
Fenelon Arts Committee

Image credit: Rosalinde Baumgartner, Artist.

Artist Talk & Walking Tour for The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2026

April 7, 2026 – Fenelon Falls, ON – Join the Fenelon Arts Committee (FAC) for the launch of the third season of The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2026.

🌼🌸 The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2026 🌸🌼
Friday, May 8, 2026
11 a.m.
Colborne Street Gallery, 36 Colborne Street, Fenelon Falls

Artists will speak about their sculpture and art practice followed by a guided walking tour and on-site Q&A.

2026 Artists
Rosalinde Baumgartner
Carole Chaloupka Burton
Chance Chermet
James Cameron Smith
Mary Sullivan
Jeff van Leeuwen

Click here to learn more.

The FAC identifies opportunities for artists, strategizes on arts initiatives, and works to increase public access and engagement with art in the village of Fenelon Falls. The Kawartha Works Community Co-op operates to improve the social infrastructure in Kawartha Lakes by enabling the creation, development, and management of not-for-profit initiatives with artistic, cultural, recreational, health, environmental, economic, and social improvement aims.

The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2026 Call for Submissions

January 12, 2026 – Fenelon Falls, ON – The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2026 Call for Submissions is officially open.

The Fenelon Arts Committee (FAC), a part of the Kawartha Works Community Co-op (KWCC), in partnership with the City of Kawartha Lakes, is bringing The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition back to Fenelon Falls for a third season. The exhibition of six sculptures will be on display from May to October 2026.

Complete details of the call and application link can be found on the FAC website. The closing date for submissions is Friday, March 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. and is open to artists and teams of artists across Canada. The FAC is looking for innovative and engaging sculptures that show a creative approach to materials and concept. Work may also consider the context and history of Fenelon Falls: Indigenous use of the area, historical development, natural heritage of the region, and the contemporary use of the area today.

The official launch and walking tour will take place at Colborne Street Gallery, 36 Colborne Street, Fenelon Falls on Friday, May 8, 2026, at 11 a.m. Artists will speak about their sculpture and art practice, followed by a guided walking tour and on-site Q&A of the artworks.

The FAC identifies opportunities for artists, strategizes on arts initiatives, and works to increase public access and engagement with art in the village of Fenelon Falls. The Kawartha Works Community Co-op operates to improve the social infrastructure in Kawartha Lakes by enabling the creation, development, and management of not-for-profit initiatives with artistic, cultural, recreational, health, environmental, economic, and social improvement aims.

Fundraising Campaign: The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2025

The Fenelon Arts Committee (FAC) is currently fundraising for its second seasonal public art initiative: The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2025. This project features a collection of six sculptures mounted on limestone base rocks in the garden planters along Colborne Street. A jury of local arts and cultural leaders and business owners will be appointed by the FAC to select the works. The call for submissions is live on the FAC website with a deadline of Friday, March 21, 2025.

This project is made possible through the fundraising support of the Community Fund of Fenelon Falls (CFFF), a fund administered by the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes. With a strong history of supporting outdoor public art in the Fenelon Falls area, the CFFF plays a vital role in fostering cultural and artistic initiatives within the community.

There are several ways to support this exciting project!

Sponsorship

Local businesses can show their support of The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition via a sponsorship.

Business sponsorships of $500 and over will be acknowledged on a sculpture plaque, for example a name and/or business logo. Recognition will be limited to two businesses per plaque. This will be on a first come, first served basis. Please note splitting is not permitted. Names and/or business logos will also be featured on the FAC website.

Sponsorships under $500 will be acknowledged on the FAC website with a name and/or business logo.

All business sponsorships are eligible for a non-charitable receipt. Please email info@fenelonarts.com to become a sponsor. Please note sponsorships need to be received by the jury date which will take place the last week March 2025. 

Donations

We welcome the support of the community. Individual and business donations of any dollar amount are eligible for a charitable receipt.

Online Donations

Please visit the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes Canada Helps webpage.

Donations by E-transfer

Please send e-transfers to info@kawarthafoundation.ca, with a memo directing to the "CFFF Sculpture Exhibition". In a separate email, include your full name, mailing address, date of deposit, donation amount, email, and direction to "CFFF Sculpture Exhibition" for the charitable receipt.

Donations by Cheque

Please issue the cheque to “Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes” stating “CFFF Sculpture Exhibition” in the memo line. On a separate note, please include the donor’s name, address, and email for the charitable receipt and mail to:

Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes
Suite 302, 165 Kent Street West
Lindsay, ON, K9V 2Y5

Call for Submissions: The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2025

January 2, 2025 – Fenelon Falls, ON – The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2025 Call for Submissions is officially open.

The Fenelon Arts Committee (FAC) of Kawartha Works Community Co-op (KWCC), in partnership with the City of Kawartha Lakes, is bringing The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition back to Fenelon Falls. The six artworks will be on display from May to October 2025.

The official launch of the project will take place at Colborne Street Gallery, 36 Colborne Street, Fenelon Falls on Friday, May 9th beginning at 11 a.m. Artists will be in attendance and there will be a guided tour of the sculptures.

The Call for Submissions application is live on the FAC website with a closing date of Friday, March 21st, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. and is open to artists and teams of artists across Canada. The FAC encourages artists to consider the context and history of the location including the Indigenous use of the area, the historical development of Fenelon Falls, the natural heritage of the region, and the contemporary use of the area today.

The Fenelon Arts Committee identifies opportunities for artists, strategizes on arts initiatives, and works to increase public access and engagement with art in the village of Fenelon Falls. The Kawartha Works Community Co-op operates to improve the social infrastructure in Kawartha Lakes by enabling the creation, development, and management of not-for-profit initiatives with artistic, cultural, recreational, health, environmental, economic, and social improvement aims.

The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2024 Launch

May 1, 2024 – Fenelon Falls, ON – The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2024 is coming to Fenelon Falls Friday, May 10, 2024.

The Fenelon Arts Committee (FAC) of Kawartha Works Community Co-op (KWCC), in partnership with the City of Kawartha Lakes, has created another opportunity for the installation of public art along Colborne Street in Fenelon Falls. The works will be on display from May to October 2024.

The official launch of the project will take place at Colborne Street Gallery, 36 Colborne Street, Fenelon Falls on Friday, May 10th beginning at 11 a.m. Artists will be in attendance and there will be a guided tour of the sculptures.

The Call for Submissions went out earlier this year and six artists were short listed for installation; Elise Muller, James Cameron Smith, Rosalinde Baumgartner, Carolanne MacLean, Lynne Sproule, and Argyrios Hatzinakos.

The FAC is grateful for the support and assistance we received from the teams at Downtown Haliburton Sculpture Exhibition, The Elora Sculpture Project, and the Fenelon Falls Horticultural Society. They were instrumental in helping put this project together. We would also like to thank our community for their ongoing support and encouragement in bringing public art to our village.

The Fenelon Arts Committee identifies opportunities for artists, strategizes on arts initiatives, and works to increase public access and engagement with art in the village of Fenelon Falls. The Kawartha Works Community Co-op operates to improve the social infrastructure in Kawartha Lakes by enabling the creation, development, and management of not-for-profit initiatives with artistic, cultural, recreational, health, environmental, economic, and social improvement aims.

Call for Submissions: The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2024

February 1, 2024 – Fenelon Falls, ON – An exciting new public art exhibition is coming to Fenelon Falls this summer and the call for submissions is officially open.

The Fenelon Arts Committee (FAC), in partnership with the City of Kawartha Lakes, invites expressions of interest from artists or teams of artists to participate in the inaugural call for sculptures in the newly built garden planters located along Colborne Street in downtown Fenelon Falls.

Juried by a panel of local arts and cultural leaders and downtown business owners, the exhibition will feature six sculptures on limestone base rocks in the garden planters. 2024 marks the 150th anniversary of Fenelon Falls and submissions are asked to incorporate elements and interpretations reflecting the sesquicentennial. The exhibition will be on view from May to October 2024 and will feature an opening celebration and walking tour.

The FAC identifies opportunities for artists, strategizes on arts initiatives, and works to increase public access and engagement with art in the village of Fenelon Falls. The FAC is a part of the Kawartha Works Community Co-op (KWCC). The KWCC works to improve the social infrastructure in Kawartha Lakes by enabling the creation, development, and management of not-for-profit initiatives with artistic, cultural, recreational, health, environmental, economic, and social improvement aims.

Sculpture Project Fundraising Complete

June 2, 2021 – Fenelon Falls, ON – The Fenelon Arts Committee (FAC) has successfully raised the funds needed for The Sculpture Project.  

The FAC is happy to announce the funding needed for The Sculpture Project has been secured. The fundraising campaign began in 2020 and has raised over $50,000. Two works, Portage by James C. Smith and River Grove by Susan Rankin, will be mounted on limestone bases in the Rain Garden south of Maryboro Lodge: The Fenelon Museum, and will ultimately be on display as City art.

The FAC is grateful for the support and assistance we have received from the Fenelon Falls Powerlinks Committee, Fenelon Rotary Club, the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes (especially the Community Fund Fenelon Falls), The Fenelon Chest Fund, the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, City of Kawartha Lakes, and especially our many individual donors. The FAC is part of Kawartha Works Community Co-operative.

We are very thankful to our community and look forward to celebrating the installation of these works when it is safe to do so in the coming months.

The Scale Model Gift Program

December 2020 – Fenelon Falls, ON – The Fenelon Arts Committee (FAC) is happy to announce a new initiative in support of our current Sculpture Project: The Scale Model Gift Program. This unique opportunity offers donors the choice to take home a scale model of James C. Smith’ Portage or Susan Rankin’s River Grove with a minimum donation of $2,000.

The FAC has commissioned both artists to create a limited edition of up to five additional scale models based on their original, for this fundraising initiative (James C. Smith, Portage, scale model, approximately 11 x 12 x 9 inches and Susan Rankin, River Grove, scale model, approximately 13 x 5 x 5 inches). This offer is on a strictly first come, first served basis. The scale models will be manufactured and delivered mid-2021 in conjunction with manufacturing of the main pieces.

According to Canadian tax law, the $500 fair market value of the small sculpture must be deducted from the charitable receipt. For example, a donation of $2,000 will receive a cash receipt of $500 and a charitable tax receipt of $1,500. Also according to Canadian tax law, equities cannot be used for the cash portion of the donation, however equities may still be used for the charitable portion. Donations for the $500 cash component of this program need to be administered directly through delivery of funds to the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes (kawarthafoundation.ca/the-sculpture-project), not through Canada Helps.

Please note, the Gift program is scheduled to expire on April 30, 2021. Donations booked between January 1, 2021 and April 30, 2021 will be eligible for a charitable tax receipt for the 2021 tax year. For donors who have already contributed and wish to take advantage of this Gift program, we will aggregate the total of all contributions to determine eligibility.

The FAC launched its fundraising campaign in October 2020 and are happy to report we have successfully raised over half of the funds needed for this project. The committee’s target is $50,000 in order to proceed and procure the sculptures, which will ultimately be on display as City art. Any excess donations will be applied to future public art projects in and around Fenelon Falls.

The FAC is grateful for the support and assistance the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes, and the Kawartha Works Community Co-op.

There are many ways to donate to this exciting project and donations are eligible for a charitable tax receipt. Please visit the FAC website for complete details on how you can support the Fenelon Arts Committee Sculpture Project.