HushFest
Cornwall’s Festival of Quietness
Festival week: 4th–10th July 2026
A celebration of quietness through creativity, community and culture.
Our festival week has finished, and there’s still plenty to explore. You’re welcome to listen to the music and spend time with the artwork and quieter perspectives shared by our community.
See quietness differently
HushFest grew from our Quiet Connections community, with people sharing their ideas, experiences and creative work. Some contributions began at our regular Meet Ups; others came from artists, local groups and people discovering us for the first time.
We wanted to gently challenge assumptions about quietness through people’s stories and creative work. Someone’s words could become part of a song. An artwork could offer a glimpse into an experience a visitor recognised, or one they hadn’t considered before.
Many of us already appreciate quiet in a garden, beside the sea or in a moment to ourselves. HushFest invited people to bring that same curiosity and appreciation to quietness in people.
Our community-created song
A Little Bit of Hush
Words and reflections from our community became the starting point for an original song. Zoe Zalick brought them together and worked with quieteers through songwriting sessions and rehearsals, leading to a shared performance at St Cubert’s Church on Saturday 4th July.
Later in the week, the lyrics became the starting point for artwork too. You can find some of those responses in the Community Collection.
Watch more performances from HushFestAudio recording and editing by Pete Zalick. Videos by Alex Hart.
The Community Collection
Photography, artwork, words and reflections from people across Cornwall and beyond. Each contribution offers its own view of quietness, shaped by the person who shared it.
You’ll find familiar places, personal stories and work created through HushFest. You’re welcome to browse slowly and see what catches your attention.
Explore the collectionFour ways to experience quietness
These themes helped people find their own way into HushFest. Quietness can mean different things to each of us, and there was room for that variety in the work people shared.
Quiet in Nature
Calm, wonder and connection with the natural world.
Quiet in Self
Reflection, imagination and inner experience.
Quiet in Relationship
Listening, understanding and meaningful connection.
Quiet in Creativity
Focus, expression, flow and the joy of making.
Created together
Exhibitions at St Cubert’s Church and Create Contemporary Crafts Hub in Camborne brought together work made by our community and collaborating artists.
The Quiet Hearts wardrobes looked ordinary from the outside. Open the doors, and there were hundreds of colourful handmade hearts inside. They invited visitors to look beyond a first impression of a quiet person.
Each heart had been made by someone, often over many weeks at home or alongside others at a Meet Up. Together, they offered a glimpse of how much can remain unseen when we only notice someone’s quiet exterior.
The Community Harmony Scarf carried personal stories through its ribbons. The butterfly arch brought individual contributions together in the light.
People could add something of their own, look closely at someone else’s work, or simply spend time with it.
Making room to create
Creative sessions took place in the months leading up to HushFest and during the festival week. People tried different materials, shared ideas and worked alongside one another, with time to find their own way into an activity.
During the week, workshops at St Cubert’s Church, Create CIC and Moth & Moon included collage, clay, stained glass and creative writing.
“I felt like there were no expectations, which really helped me relax and enjoy myself.”
A participant in the Art from Song Lyrics workshop
Explore the 2026 festival-week workshop programme
A record of the programme for 5th–10th July 2026. These sessions have now finished.
- Family Butterfly Collage: Nature Up Close with Emily Newman, at St Cubert’s Church.
- Create Art from Song Lyrics with Michael Mules, at St Cubert’s Church.
- Make a Stained Glass Sun Catcher with Zanna Pill, at Create CIC.
- Make a Mini Zine with Jo Buckingham, at St Cubert’s Church.
- Make a Quiet Heart with Sue Rowe and Sue Pearce, at St Cubert’s Church.
- Clay and the Quiet Voice Within with Lorna Bode, at Create CIC.
- Threads of Connection: Community Harmony Scarf with Jo Buckingham, at St Cubert’s Church.
- Quiet Writing Workshop with Creative Fieldnotes, at Moth & Moon.
- Cut, Layer, Reflect: Collage Workshop with Angela Hatherell, at St Cubert’s Church.
Stay connected
Quiet Connections brings people together throughout the year. Our community welcomes people who consider themselves introverted, sensitive or shy, including those who experience social anxiety.
You’re welcome to explore our Meet Ups in Cornwall and online, or join our newsletter to hear about community news and upcoming activities.