Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Top Destinations to Visit in Sweden in 2018
Bildmuseet at Umeå Arts Campus. Photo: Mats Holmberg, White
The little big city that has art and culture everywhere From the title of European Capital of Culture in 2014 to a brand-new, state-of-theart culture centre launched the same year at the heart of the city, there are plenty of reasons to count Umeå among Sweden’s top culture destinations. But the northern city’s love for and commitment to art, culture and education go way back. By Linnea Dunne
“It started sometime in the 1960s, when the local council started talking about providing the local citizens with cultural experiences to boost wellness and creativity,” says Erja Back, project manager at Visit Umeå. “Since then, there’s been a conscious investment in culture locally: we’ve got one of the world’s northernmost opera houses, plenty of museums with free admission, and generally speaking a really strong cultural offering.”
Where the river goes Known today as a vibrant culture hub, Umeå boasts one of the best schools in 50 | Issue 108 | January 2018
the world for industrial design, Umeå Institute of Design, along with what is according to The Telegraph one of the world’s most incredible museums. Standing seven storeys tall on the Umeälven riverbank in architecturally stunning premises, Bildmuseet presents international contemporary art focused on existential, political and philosophical issues, as well as talks, lectures, film screenings and workshops – all free of charge. Among the current exhibitions are Dada is Dada, presenting paintings, drawings, photography, objects and more from one of the most influential art movements
of the 20th century, a reaction to the conservative values of bourgeois society, conventional aesthetic ideals, nationalism and the first World War; and Do Ho Suh’s Passages, investigating architecture as both physical and psychological spaces. Slightly further up the riverbank is Väven, the culture centre that opened its doors during the autumn of Umeå’s year as European Capital of Culture, now presenting stage shows, exhibitions, talks, seminars and social gatherings to suit different age groups and interests. In many ways, Umeälven runs through the city not just as a landmark of sorts but also as a connector of nature and culture, or urban life with the countryside. A recent addition to the city’s accommodation options, the modern self-service hotel U&Me, is also located here, boasting stunning views across the river.