Festival to see quietness through live music in Cornwall to take place this weekend

A brand new Cornwall-wide festival is inviting people to see quietness differently through live music, exhibitions, creative workshops and community-created artwork

This weekend, a brand new Cornwall-wide festival is inviting people to see quietness differently through live music, exhibitions, creative workshops and community-created artwork. 

HushFest, Cornwall's first Festival of Quietness, will run from Saturday, July 4 to Friday, July 10, 2026, with activities at St Cubert's Church near Newquay and Create Contemporary Crafts Hub in Camborne.

Created by Quiet Connections CIC, the festival brings together artists, musicians, volunteers and community members from across Cornwall. Many contributors identify as quiet, introverted, sensitive, shy, or experience social anxiety.

Quiet Connections CIC is a Cornwall-based community for people who identify as quiet, introverted, sensitive, shy, highly sensitive or experiencing social anxiety. It runs regular meet ups, pop ups, workshops and creative projects across Cornwall.

Rather than asking quieter people to become louder, HushFest creates space for different ways of contributing to be seen, heard and valued.

The festival opens on Saturday, July 4 at St Cubert’s Church with Live Music.

Quiet Place 
An afternoon of original songs, live music and artwork in one of Cornwall’s Celtic Quiet Places. Doors open at 3.15pm and the event starts at 3.45pm. Entry is by donation.

The opening afternoon brings together a gentle but varied line-up of local singer-songwriters and musicians, with acoustic performances, folk, bluegrass and pop-punk influences, original songs and thoughtfully chosen covers that reflect the spirit of HushFest. 

It will also include the first public performance of A Little Bit of Hush, a new community song shaped from reflections shared by people within the Quiet Connections community. 
Zoe Zalick has led the creative process and rehearsals with the HushFest House Band. Across the week, visitors will be able to explore exhibitions and take part in creative workshops. People are welcome to come and go as they please, staying for five minutes or an afternoon.

Work on show will include artwork, photography, writing, textile pieces, community-created contributions and Quiet Hearts, a large textile installation made from around 2,000 handmade hearts by people across Cornwall, with displays at both St Cubert’s Church and Create Contemporary Crafts Hub in Camborne.

The exhibitions will also include the HushFest Community Gallery, bringing together small creative works inspired by quietness from people across Cornwall. 

Quiet Hearts started with an idea by Sue Rowe, a Quiet Connections community member, and has been created by people across Cornwall using materials such as wool, felt and fabric scraps. Each heart is different, reflecting the depth and variety within the community.

Hayley Stanton, founder of Quiet Connections CIC, said: "HushFest has grown from the people in our community. Some have made Quiet Hearts,
some have shared words for a song, some are performing, some are volunteering, and some have offered artwork or ideas behind the scenes.

"It’s about creating space for different kinds of contributions to be seen and appreciated. There is so much creativity, connection, humour and care here, and we hope people will come along and experience that for themselves.”

The festival explores four themes:

Quiet in Nature

Quiet in Self

Quiet in Relationship 

Quiet in Creativity

The Quiet in Nature theme invites people to notice the calm, wonder and connection that can be found in the natural world, from coastal paths and birdsong to the quiet places people return to when they need to breathe.

Visitors do not need to identify as quiet to come along. HushFest is for anyone drawn to creativity, reflection, community, nature or gentler ways of connecting.

HushFest is supported by FEAST, with investment from Arts Council England and Cornwall
Council. 

Find out more at: quietconnections.co.uk/hushfest