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Take the scenic route: This Arctic Highway leads straight to a bird´s nest.

This summer, the road to world-class contemporary art doesn't lead to London, New York or Paris, but to Granö, a small village in Arctic Sweden, where the journey involves a serene river and the accommodation, a bird's nest.

Photo Credits: Crowned by foreign fate – Máret Ánne Sara / Treehouse Bird´s Nest - Bea Holmberg/imagebank.sweden.se

 

Following an acclaimed international tour through the USA, Canada, and Norway, the exhibition Arctic Highways has officially reached its final destination. It is now a permanent installation at Sjungaregården in Granö, making this quiet corner of Arctic Sweden a global waypoint for Indigenous culture.

A Journey Without Borders

In Sweden, we believe nature is the ultimate luxury, and our story is woven from luminous summer days and a progressive, caring relationship with the land. Arctic Highways embodies this spirit, featuring prominent Indigenous artists from Sápmi, Canada, and Alaska, including renowned names such as Britta Marakatt-Labba and Tomas Colbengtson.

The exhibition explores an "Arctic highway" of culture and heritage that has existed for centuries—a spiritual and artistic quest that stretches from the past to the future without passing a single border. Through a diverse range of expressions—from world-unique embroideries and sculptures to photography and graphics—the artists invite visitors to see the Arctic through new eyes.

Where Culture Meets the Canopy

Granö, situated by the shores of the 470-km-long Ume River, is a destination of a different nature. Long known as a meeting place where Sámi and Swedish rural cultures have traded for generations, it has recently gained international awareness for its spectacular "bird’s nest" treehouses and Eco-Hotel at Granö Beckasin. Here, travellers find a unique intersection of high art and sustainable nature tourism, where world-class contemporary works can be viewed in the morning, and the day ends with a gentle canoe tour under the midnight sun.

A Permanent Home with a Summer Highlight

While Arctic Highways is now a fixed cultural landmark in Granö, it offers a dedicated summer season for the general public from 19 June (Midsummer’s Eve) with the exhibition open Tuesday to Sunday until 9 August. For the rest of the year, the collection remains settled in its permanent home, available for viewing by appointment — ensuring this spiritual "highway" stays open year-round.

For those seeking a deeper look into the creative process, ten senior Indigenous artists will gather in Granö from 8–14 June for a residency of artistic exchange and reflection on the changing Arctic environment.

In a region of growing global significance, Arctic Highways offers more than just a gallery visit; it offers a seat at an international Indigenous stage that is unique in the world.

 

Notes to Editors:

Visit Sweden is a marketing company owned by the Swedish government. It is a national tourism organization to promote the destination Sweden to increase the country's attractiveness that contributes to tourism consumption, export earnings and employment. Visit Sweden works together with the Swedish tourism industry to effectively reach the most desired target groups for long-term sustainable tourism. Visit Sweden is based in Stockholm with local representation in several foreign markets. Visit Sweden has close to 50 employees. 

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