On Saturday 11 July 2026, the village of Tumble will host the inaugural Gŵyl Tysha Festival, a major community arts and heritage project celebrating the life and legacy of Jac Tysha (Jack Hughes), one of the leading figures of the Rebecca Riots.
The project will bring together local residents, schools, artists, historians, musicians and community organisations to explore and celebrate Tumble’s significant contribution to one of Wales’ most important social movements.
The centrepiece of the project will be a large-scale historical procession through Tumble, with hundreds of participants dressed as the Merched Becca, retracing the landscape associated with Jac Tysha’s life before gathering at the Tysha Memorial for a performance by the Meibion Mynydd Mawr Choir.
Created by photographer and artist Huw Alden Davies, Sian James, Aled Thomas from Beast Promotion, and the local council, Gŵyl Tysha Festival builds upon the success of the Great Mountain Portrait and transforms local history into a living artwork, combining photography, performance, storytelling, community participation and cultural celebration.
A Multi-Phase Community Project
Gŵyl Tysha extends far beyond a single-day event and will unfold through several interconnected phases:
Phase 1: School and Community Workshops
Educational workshops with local schools, clubs and community groups exploring the history of Jac Tysha and the Rebecca Riots, alongside the creation of costumes, banners and creative responses.
Phase 2: Community Parade and Festival
A large-scale procession featuring hundreds of participants dressed as the Merched Becca, followed by a free community festival featuring music, performances, exhibitions and family activities.
Phase 3: Artist Commissions
A programme of artistic responses bringing together photographers, writers, performers and visual artists to create new work inspired by the landscape, history and people of the Gwendraeth Valley. These works will include contemporary portraits, landscape photography, performances and written responses.
Phase 4: Ffoto Cymru Festival Exhibition
The resulting body of work will be exhibited at Ffoto Cymru Festival in Cardiff in October 2026, bringing the story of Tumble and Jac Tysha to a national audience.
Phase 5: Publication
The project will culminate in a major publication documenting the creative process, community participation, commissioned artworks, and the project’s historical significance.
Phase 6: Community Mural
A permanent community mural will be created to celebrate the legacy of Jac Tysha, ensuring the project’s impact remains visible within the village for future generations.
The procession and festival will be documented by photographers and filmmakers, creating a lasting archive that will contribute to future exhibitions, publications and documentary work.
As well as celebrating local history and culture, the project will support fundraising efforts for the Wales Air Ambulance and aims to establish Gŵyl Tysha as an annual festival of heritage, creativity and community pride.
Event Details
Saturday 11 July 2026
- Assemble – 11.30 am
- Historical Procession: 12.00 pm
- Gŵyl Tysha Festival, Tumble Park: 12.30 pm – 5.00 pm
- Evening Music Event: 6.00 pm – 11.00 pm
Gŵyl Tysha is a living portrait of a community reclaiming its place in Welsh history, bringing together art, heritage, activism and collective memory to ensure the story of Jac Tysha continues to inspire future generations.
