Gibraltar Cultural Awards 2021

Gibraltar Cultural Services, on behalf of the Ministry of Culture have announced the results of this year’s Cultural Awards. The winners were presented with their awards at a glamorous event at the Sunborn Hotel, broadcast live by GBC.

The Awards aim to celebrate the best of Gibraltar’s arts and culture, looking at the achievements and successes of individuals and groups between July 2020 and June 2021. These awards recognise and highlight potential, ability, talent and achievement, whilst at the same time supporting the community’s artistic and cultural development.

The selection process included an open invitation to the public for nominations, which led to a shortlist approved by the Cultural Awards Board. The public was then invited to be part of the process and vote for the shortlisted nominees via a telephone vote set up by Gibtelecom. The Board also voted on awards for Cultural Ambassador and Lifetime Achievement with a Special Recognition Award also presented.

Following this process, the Award winners are as follows:

JUNIOR AWARD for Under 15’s – awarded to Gino Ochello

YOUTH AWARD for Under 25’s – awarded to Darius Oliva

SENIOR AWARD for Over 25’s – awarded to Richard Garcia

BEST EDUCATIONAL PROJECT – awarded to Geraldine Martinez

CULTURAL AMBASSADOR AWARD – presented to Gabriel Moreno

THE GIBRALTAR CULTURAL SERVICES AWARD Special Achievement Award – presented to Michael Prescott.

THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – presented to Sam Benady.

The Minister for Culture, the Hon Prof. Dr. John Cortes MP said:
“The Cultural Awards are a recognition, not just of the achievements of those who receive them, but of the richness and standard of Culture in our community, and the calibre of all its players. I want to thank all who have taken the trouble to nominate, all who have voted, and the panel itself for supporting the Awards and in this way supporting Culture. Gibraltarian Culture continues developing its identity further, clearly demonstrated by its resilience through COVID times, and by how it has continued to be at the heart of the community throughout this time. I congratulate all nominees, and in particular the winners, young an old. As I usually do, I will specifically mention the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr Sam Benady, who I have known for decades as a colleague in the health service, and as a neighbour, as well as for his dedication to history, heritage and literature.”