The idea to create a program that will be devoted to the history of our city arose at the instigation of a teacher. Last year, we prepared a tailor-made program for her class, which was devoted to the monuments of Jihlava and the history of the city. And it was successful. This spring, when the city municipality issued a call for grants as part of the project Jihlava educates through culture, we applied with the program About Jihlava with Gustav Krum. Connecting the history of the city with the work of the prominent Jihlava artist Gustav Krum seemed ideal to us. Pupils already encounter the teaching circuit The place where I live in the first grade of primary schools. Therefore, the program is primarily intended for them and for children from kindergartens. Already at the first presentation of our program as part of a meeting of cultural actors and educators, it was clear that there could be interest in the topic.

Gustav Krum's illustrations guide children through five important themes. The story begins with the creation of Jihlava and the mining of silver, from which we move to the siege of the city. We mention natural disasters and end with weaving workshops for the production of cloth. The children first look at the exhibited originals by Gustav Krum and then work with enlarged reproductions. In groups, they describe individual pictures and create their own stories for them. Eva Volfová's illustrations, which were created specifically for this program, help them with this. The individual pictures with objects and figures are in color and artistic contrast with the work of Gustav Krum, which ideally completes the atmosphere of the subjects. Contemporary photographs help children to orientate themselves in the city environment as we know it today.

This educational program is also completed by a creative workshop. In the studio, children create their own pattern of fabric or a work that is created using colored waves, a needle and a background fabric. The subjects can be simple, but children often surprise with very refined compositions.

A printed worksheet was created for the program, which the children take with them. It gives them the opportunity to revive individual stories and return to the topic at home or perhaps at school.

Pavlína Pitrová, September 2022