The pianist Lidia Grychtołówna and maestro Jerzy Maksymiuk, as well as actors Ewa Dałkowska and Jarosław Gajewski, filmmaker Arkadiusz Gołębiewski, sculptor Ludwika Ogorzelec and musicians Piotr Paleczny and Konstanty Andrzej Kulka were on the list of laureates of the Annual Award of the Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sport. A special Tomasz Merta award was given to Piotr Semka.
The official gala of presenting the Annual Awards of the Minister of Culture, National Heritage, and Sport was held at the headquarters of the Complex of State Music Schools No. 1 in Warsaw. This prestigious distinction has been awarded since 1997 to distinguished figures of the world of culture in recognition of their entire professional achievements or outstanding achievements in a given year in the field they represent.
The gala was hosted by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sport Piotr Gliński, and TVP Kultura journalist Katarzyna Sanocka. The ceremony was graced by an excellent concert by Sławomir Jaskułke’s band, as well as a dance performed by Artem Rybalchenka and Agata Załuska.
During the conversation with the media after the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Piotr Gliński admitted that music had dominated this year’s gala.
“We have the 18th Chopin Competition. It is obvious, we wanted to pay tribute to Polish music, not only to performers, but also to composers, conductors, and musicologists, but it is also an award that tries to pick out people who are often overlooked in culture salons,” said the Minister.