Skaftfell is dedicated to nurturing and exhibiting visual art, the main emphasis being on contemporary art. Skaftfell is a meeting point for artists and locals and serves as a center for visual art in all East-Iceland. Skaftfell was founded in the year 1998 by a group of art enthusiasts in the town of Seydisfjordur. The center is situated in a grand old house, built in 1907. On the first floor there is an exhibition space with running exhibitions the whole year through. On the top floor there is a beautiful artists residency available for visual artists and scholars. Skaftfell Bistro is on the ground floor with a good library of book-art, art-books and related material, in addition to serving fabulous food and coffee the Bistro hosts the West-wall gallery, a space dedicated to showing the works of young, experimental artists.
In the past decade Skaftfell has hosted a large number of exhibitions by international, national and local artists. The main emphasis being on contemporary art. Skaftfell serves an important role in the area as a center of information and education on art and art related subjects. Every year Skaftfell organizes and/or hosts various seminars with art students in collaboration with the Icelandic Academy of the Arts and other schools and institutions. Skaftfell is founded around the memory of the artist Dieter Roth who lived and worked in Seydisfjordur for periods of time during the last decade of his life. In Skaftfell you can find many of his book works and prints on display.
In March 2013 Skaftfell received an Icelandic award, Eyrarrosin, for outstanding cultural leadership in a rural area.