Short information in English

350 kilometres of impressions

A road project since 1965
The landscape of northern Sweden is slow an leisurely, without dramatic shifts. Forests melt into bogs, bogs blend into farmland. And the calm of the wide stretches of countryside invite reflection and contemplation. A road project was born from this landscape many years ago that connects the coast with the mountains, urban areas with wilderness, an international modern art with the awe-inspiring experience of nature. On the journey from the coast to the mountains, seven rivers are passed: the Vindelälven, the Umeälven, The Öreälven, the Lögdeälven, the Gideälven,the Ångermanälven and, at the very north of the Southern Lapland mountains, the Saxälven. These rivers have provided the name and the backbone of what today is called, the Seven Rivers Art Route.

The vision of an art route realized

The association transformed in 1997 into the Seven Rivers Art Route in connection with an EU-financed project , dealing with creating works of art along the road. Ten selected artists studied the setting and together with an art council developed proposals to works of art. The first piece “Väg ledning” was installed in 1996 and most of the works were completed during 1998. The results became what is likely the longest permanent sculpture trail in the world – a 350 km art exhibit, form the coast in Holmsund in the east to Borgafjäll in the Southern Lapland mountains in the west.
The work of developing the Seven Rivers Art Route continues and more works are being added in 2004, there were 12 works along the road, in addition the Umedalen Sculpture Park in Western Umeå offers over 20 works of art by international artists.

Non- profit association anchored in the communities
The Seven Rivers Art Route is a non-profit association consisting of the five municipalities along the rout: Umeå, Vännäs, Bjurholm, Åsele and Dorotea. Together, they represent an area that extends from the Bay of Bothnia in the east to the Borga mountain in the west.
The association works with information about the Umeå – Borgafjäll tourist route and works to develop cultural attractions, along the way.