The Český Krumlov project of Kateřina Šedá ended in debts

Šedá employed 15 families and temporary workers. From June to August, they lived in the center, walked with strollers, aired out bed linens from windows, or grilled, performing everyday activities. A publication, film, an international conference, and an exhibition next year at the Krumlov Egon Schiele Art Center will arise from the project.

Šedá compared the center of Krumlov to the Brno district known as Bronx. “Houses where no one lives - guesthouses; stores that no one needs: pawn shops in Brno, here jewelry stores. The goal was to see how tourism can be regulated and how one can live with it. One of the conclusions is that it makes sense to keep discussing with citizens, even though they are negative, and to talk to them patiently,” Šedá told ČTK today, who is a holder of the Chalupecký Award.

Over 1500 families applied, including 500 foreigners, primarily from Russia and Ukraine. Šedá selected Czech families with children. Only one family member received a monthly reward of 12,400 crowns. They were families living in housing estates, in Prague 1, in the countryside, and even a family that travels to the Himalayas and sleeps in their car.

Šedá had many critics. “Today I don't have my husband or children here; they will never come to Krumlov again. It was rumored how I got rich, but I will be left with considerable debts. There were several reports that I employ children, several checks from the labor office and social services,” Šedá said.

As the director of the Egon Schiele Art Center, Hana Jirmusová Lazarowitz, said today, Šedá wanted to protect those living in city centers listed as UNESCO sites through the project. According to the director, there have been many vulgar attacks against Šedá. “Kateřina sold several of her belongings because of this project. The project is severely underfunded. Kateřina received several offers, for example from Norway, from countries that have serious problems with tourism. They were impressed by her determination to tackle the issue,” the director said.

Šedá appreciated the families from the project. Some, however, thought they had come for a paid vacation. Critics were disturbed by walking a goat in the square, bathing a child in a basin on the street; they believed the money should have gone to other things.

Guide Oldřiška Baloušková lives in the center. She thinks Krumlov is doing well compared to Dubrovnik or Venice. Entrepreneur Marek Šimon said life has not disappeared from the center. According to him, the city owes its repairs to tourism. “Artificially creating amenities in the center is meaningless because today people are lazy; they prefer to drive to big stores. In the center, there is a shop and two small stores,” Šimon said.

Former Minister of Education Dana Kuchtová said today that Šedá held up a very precise mirror to how Krumlov appeared. “I saw myself pushing a stroller up and down,” Kuchtová said, who lives in Krumlov. The city with 13,000 residents receives about two million tourists each year.