This School Has Been Changing Lives in Cuenca for 30 Years — and They're Throwing a Concert to Celebrate

A School Worth Knowing About

If you've lived in Cuenca for any length of time, you've probably driven through the Tres Puentes sector near the Yanuncay River without knowing that one of the city's most quietly remarkable institutions is right there.

San José de Calasanz is a non-profit school that has spent the last 30 years serving children and young people — both with and without disabilities — in an inclusive educational environment. That's three decades of showing up for kids who, in many places, would be overlooked. The school draws international volunteers who come to Cuenca specifically to support its mission, which tells you something about the kind of work they're doing.

And now they're celebrating that milestone the best way possible: with live music.

The Concert

This Thursday, March 26th at 8:00 PM, the school is hosting a 30th anniversary music festival at the Pumapungo Theater.

If you haven't been to Pumapungo yet — go. The Teatro Pumapungo is a beautiful performance venue located inside the Pumapungo Museum complex on Calle Larga, right along the Tomebamba River. It's one of Cuenca's best cultural spaces, run by the Central Bank (Banco Central), and hosts everything from symphony concerts to theater productions. The acoustics are excellent and the setting is gorgeous.

The headliner is BESO, a popular musical group, along with guest artists. It's going to be a proper show in a proper venue — not a recital in a gymnasium.

Practical Details

Here's everything you need to know:

• When: Thursday, March 26th, 2026 at 8:00 PM
• Where: Pumapungo Theater (Teatro Pumapungo), inside the Pumapungo Museum complex on Calle Larga
• Tickets: $15 suggested donation per ticket
• Where to buy: At the theater box office the day of the show, or in advance at the school
• School address: Paseo del Río Yanuncay 3-110, La Isla neighborhood, Tres Puentes sector

The $15 ticket price is a suggested donation — every dollar goes to supporting the school and its programs.

Why This Matters

There's something genuinely special about a school that has spent three decades creating an inclusive space where kids with disabilities learn alongside kids without disabilities. That model of education — where inclusion isn't a buzzword but a daily practice — is still rare in Ecuador and frankly in most of the world.

The fact that international volunteers travel to Cuenca to work with this school speaks volumes. And the fact that a retired American expat (shoutout to Nate Hanks, who volunteers there and submitted this story to us) is part of that volunteer community is a reminder of the real, tangible ways expats can connect with and contribute to this city.

This isn't just a concert. It's a community showing up for its kids. Go if you can.

Submitted by community member Nate Hanks