The festival showcases a fast-moving variety of new works, devised pieces, and solo performances.
Idle Hands Collective will present Idle Fest, a one-day performance event featuring two shows at 2 PM and 8 PM on February 28, 2026, at Warehouse XI in Somerville, MA. The festival showcases a fast-moving variety of new works, devised pieces, and solo performances by multidisciplinary artists from across the Greater Boston area.
Idle Fest brings together performers working across mediums-actors, musicians, poets, drag artists, dancers, and more-to create and share work in a space designed for experimentation and collaboration. Many of the featured pieces are devised through a compressed creative process, emphasizing risk-taking and cross-disciplinary exchange.
At its core, Idle Fest asks a simple but urgent question: What happens when artists from different disciplines are given the space to make work together, without institutional barriers or rigid expectations? "If Boston wants to be a city where artists stay and grow, we have to make room for experimentation," says Naomi Tyler, co-founder of Idle Hands Collective. "Idle Fest is our way of asking what the city's arts scene could be if artists were simply given the space to connect & thrive," adds David Raposo, co-founder.
The event emphasizes accessibility with a pay-what-you-want pricing model. The suggested starting price is $15, ensuring new work remains accessible to a wide audience while directly supporting the artists involved.
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