Critics' Circle Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts

Each year since 1988 The Critics' Circle has presented an award for Distinguished Service to the Arts, voted for by all members of the Circle, embracing Dance, Drama, Film, Music, Visual Arts and Architecture. This performing arts Award takes the form of an engraved crystal rose bowl, presented at a celebratory luncheon.

Recipients

 * 1988 Sir Peter Hall
 * 1989 Dame Ninette de Valois
 * 1990 Sir Michael Tippett
 * 1991 Sir David Lean
 * 1992 Sir John Mills
 * 1993 Sir Peter Ustinov
 * 1994 Sir John Drummond
 * 1995 Sir Peter Wright
 * 1996 Sir Richard Eyre
 * 1997 Dame Judi Dench
 * 1998 Sir Edward Downes
 * 1999 Harold Pinter
 * 2000 Dame Alicia Markova
 * 2001 Paul Scofield
 * 2002 Alfred Brendel
 * 2003 Sir Ian McKellen
 * 2004 Mike Leigh
 * 2005 Alan Bennett
 * 2006 Dame Helen Mirren
 * 2007 Sir Tom Stoppard
 * 2008 Peter Brook
 * 2009 Sir Alan Ayckbourn
 * 2010 Ken Loach
 * 2011 Stephen Sondheim
 * 2012 Five Centenary Awards were given to Sir Nicholas Serota, Sir Peter Wright, Sir Colin Davis, Max Stafford-Clark and Danny Boyle
 * 2013 Sir Grayson Perry
 * 2014 Sir Nicholas Hytner
 * 2015 Dame Maggie Smith
 * 2016 Sir Matthew Bourne
 * 2017 David Hockney
 * 2018 Carlos Acosta
 * 2019 Dame Janet Baker
 * 2020 Michael Frayn
 * 2021 Dame Emma Thompson
 * 2022 Daniel Barenboim

Notes: The Critics' Circle, the U.K.’s only professional association of critics of drama, music, film, dance and visual arts, is celebrating its centenary in 2013 by awarding Services to the Arts honors for the first time in its history to five key cultural figures who have made a significant impact on the arts, as voted for by members of the five individual sections represented within the circle. Traditionally, the Critics' Circle has made a single award annually since 1988 with theatre director Sir Peter Hall being the first recipient.