In the context of Umeå2014 as European Capital of Culture (ECOC) where the ideal of the inclusive co-creation of culture formed a central part of the programme, we explore the rise, fall and aftermath of an alternative house of culture – Lokstallarna (the Engine Sheds). In its ECOC bid, Umeå stressed its strong alternative, grassroots tradition and ‘Do-It-Yourself’ culture. However, these groups increasingly questioned the inclusiveness of the participatory process around the development and implementation of the programme for the ECOC year. We study one of these alternative movements which occupied disused engine sheds with the aim of turning them into a house of culture ‘for all’ as a counter to the Umeå2014 programme. The focus is on the narrative of Lokstallarna and the creation of an alternative house of culture both from the point of view of those actively involved in its creation and in the local media coverage. We have collected a variety of empirical materials, both on and offline. We approach Lokstallarna as a form of place-based resistance where meanings of activism, culture and the city are negotiated and contested. The ECOC Year in Umeå opened up the opportunity to negotiate both culture and place.