2025 at Edu.lab: From methodology to live creation in South Bohemian schools
How can we connect the worlds of culture and the classroom in a way that makes sense for both sides?
In the Creative Minds project, we took a major step forward last year. Through our educational and methodological center, Edu.lab, we have created a space where artists develop their skills, design new creative education programs, and work with us to find ways to awaken curiosity, imagination, cooperation, and creative and critical thinking in children.
The year 2025 was crucial for our project – we managed to fully launch the activities of the Edu.lab center. Our goal is not only to diversify teaching on a one-off basis through programs with artists, but to build a sustainable system that connects two worlds. We believe that creativity is not just a "talent for the chosen few," but one of the key competencies for life in the 21st century. Artists, with their specific approaches, their work with error and uncertainty, and their ability to see things from different perspectives, are ideal partners for developing these skills. However, in order for an artist to work effectively in a school environment, they need to be equipped with methodological know-how – that is why we have developed models for training lecturers (Train the Trainers) and content creation (Program Design).
We will continue to pursue this mission. While 2025 was mainly devoted to preparing artists, in 2026 we are opening the doors of our Edu.lab center to educators as well, as part of a new model called Creative Teachers Club, which will focus on supporting teachers and sharing inspiration and creative methods directly within the teaching community.
Two pillars of professional development for artists
Over the past year, we have implemented a total of three intensive educational cycles at Edu.lab, which have laid the foundation for this new form of collaboration:
- Edu.lab Program Design (2 cycles): A total of 12 selected artists from the fields of performing arts, movement, dance, illustration, and creative writing underwent 50 hours of training in design thinking and learning design. The result is 12 unique creative education programs that have been successfully tested in practice. In 2026, these programs will become part of a stable offering for schools, which we plan to further develop and expand.
- Edu.lab Train the Trainers: Authentic Expression: In order for artists in the role of lecturers to effectively convey their intentions to children, we focused on lecturing skills and authenticity of expression in close cooperation with the Atelier of Live Pedagogy and Creation. Through psychosomatic training, the artists learned to work with voice resonance, live speech techniques, and conscious management of group dynamics. This preparation enables them to stand in front of the class as authentic, strong creative personalities, sensitively read signals in the classroom, and create a safe environment for joint creation with students.
From the laboratory straight to the classroom: 24 pilot projects
However, the most valuable work took place directly in school classrooms. In 2025, we implemented 24 pilot creative education programs in six partner schools in České Budějovice. Approximately 480 pupils and students from our network of pilot schools participated in the program.
The children had the opportunity to experience learning differently—as a process of exploration and discovery, where mistakes are a natural part of the journey. Teachers' responses confirm that this approach has a profound impact on classroom groups:
"The greatest benefit for me and the students was the harmony across the group, returning to basics, and working with emotions. Thanks to the joint creative work and movement, some students completely forgot that they don't usually get along."
"Inspiration, experience, and harmony"
These words were repeated most often in teachers' evaluations. Educators highly appreciated the professional and human approach of the lecturers, who managed to awaken enthusiasm in the students and engage them by stimulating their natural curiosity, humor, and creative questions. According to teachers' observations, the programs most developed cooperation in groups, creative thinking, and the ability to present oneself.
"Involving artists in teaching brings new inspiration and energy to the school environment. Artists do not act as substitutes for teachers, but as 'agents of transformation' who bring new methods and approaches and a new perspective on topics that are often not covered in regular lessons due to time constraints."
What does it bring to the region?
For České Budějovice, as the future European Capital of Culture 2028, Edu.lab is an investment in a creative future.
- For artists, it means new opportunities for employment and professional growth.
- For schools, it is a source of inspiration and a partner for modernizing teaching.
- For the city, it is a path to a more resilient and creative society.
We would like to thank all participating schools (Pohůrecká, Bezdrevská, Štítného, ScioŠkola, Kubatova, and ČAG) and twelve brave artists for their dedication. The year 2025 has shown us that a creative mind and creative potential lie dormant in each of us—all we need to do is create the right environment.
