The Fundación Benéfica Cultural y Educacional Teatro del Lago is a Chilean non-profit cultural and educational organisation established in 1992 by philanthropist Guillermo Schiess and his family. Its mission is to advance social transformation by expanding equitable access to high- quality artistic experiences and education, fostering cultural development and social integration in southern Chile and beyond. The Foundation owns and operates Teatro del Lago in Frutillar, an internationally recognized performing arts center located on the shores of Lake Llanquihue, inaugurated in 2010. Through its programmes, Fundación Teatro del Lago combines artistic excellence with a strong social commitment, delivering inclusive initiatives in music, dance, and creative education for children, young people, and teachers.

Among its educational initiatives, EduVida provides thousands of students from underserved communities with meaningful artistic experiences, while Puedes Bailar, developed since 2013, promotes social inclusion and holistic development through contemporary dance and the performing arts. These programmes are widely recognized for their contribution to expanding access to arts education and strengthening community engagement, positioning Fundación Teatro del Lago as a leading cultural institution and a pioneering example of arts-based social innovation, advancing sustainability and community relevance in Latin America and beyond.

Despite these initiative, significant disparities persist across Chile, particularly outside the capital, where access to arts education remains limited. Public schools often lack trained arts educators, and private instruction is financially inaccessible for many families, restricting opportunities for creative development, emotional expression, and a sense of belonging among young people. In response, Puedes Bailar creates inclusive spaces that bring together participants from diverse territories, socioeconomic backgrounds, and life experiences, positioning the arts as a shared platform for encounter and a means of expanding equality of opportunity. Building on its impact, reaching more than 2,500 children and young people directly and over 19,000 individuals indirectly, the Fundación Teatro del Lago is expanding Puedes Bailar programme to new regions, including the Metropolitan Region. This effort seeks to extend access to high-quality artistic experiences where opportunities remain scarce, enabling more communities to learn, create, and transform collectively through the performing arts.

The project is supported through a three-year programme by the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation (NaEPF), aligned with its mission to foster personal development and advance equality of opportunity through education, art, and culture. The programme operates through three complementary components: Puedes Bailar (You Can Dance), Puedes Cantar (You Can Sing), and EduVida (Education for Life), delivering workshops, performances, and community- based activities that foster social connection through the arts. Each year, it will benefit approximately 6,000 direct participants and reaches over 25,000 indirect beneficiaries, including families, teachers, and community members.

Grounded in the principle that every child and young person can develop through artistic practice, regardless of background or talent, the programme approaches arts education as a vehicle for holistic development, social inclusion, and the strengthening of individual and collective capacities.