Centre for artists, craftspersons and designers
## NOT QUITE
No, you’ve probably not missed the exit. Keep going a bit further along the winding roads. Pass a few more farms and mirror-like lakes until you see a tall chimney and a cluster of red brick buildings.
Fengersfors
Not Quite is in Fengersfors, a former paper mill town in north east Dalsland. It is a place that seemingly is not quite what you would expect to see here, but at the same time, couldn’t be anywhere else. Even though the industrial flame has long since been quenched in the former paper mill, creativity still burns brightly here.
It was founded by a group of fresh graduates in art, design and crafts from the local Stenebyskolan who arrived in the early 2000s. They wanted to live and work in the countryside and had scouted about half of West Sweden in search of a suitable location. When they reached Fengersfors Mill, they immediately realised their search was over, and were determined to breathe new life into the old mill.
Art galleries, exhibition spaces, stores and a bistro
The mill has been revitalised as a centre where artists, craftspersons and designers can create and network. The workshops house kilns, forges and hot saws. Alongside the art galleries, exhibition spaces and shop, you can enjoy delicious food based on local, seasonal ingredients in the bistro. Since opening in 2002, Not Quite has gradually grown from an experimental arts and crafts centre to also hosting music events and other happenings today. It also houses a fine bistro, brick oven bakery, and several other enterprises.
One person who was immediately charmed by Not Quite is Frida Ramstedt, who runs one of the biggest interior design blogs in Scandinavia, Trendenser.se. Like so many other people, she has been inspired by the unique atmosphere here.
“Not Quite is a must see place to visit or stop at along the way if you like arts, crafts and design, fancy lunch or coffee in an inspiring setting or simply want to imbibe the atmosphere in the amazing buildings and exhibitions,” Frida Ramstedt | Trendenser
Culture Centre, Artists Collective or simply a creative hub. However you choose to label Not Quite, it is a place that will leave a lasting impression on you. The raw, rustic industrial façade forms a sharp contrast to the effervescent creative energy inside where every nook and cranny is filled with wonderful arts and crafts. It is truly a living cultural Mecca, right in the heart of the Dalsland countryside.
