Cultural Awards Voting Opens Today
Voting for the 2026 Gibraltar Cultural Awards has opened today, with the public able to vote by phone until 30th September. Calls cost £1, with proceeds going to the GBC Open Day Charitable Trust. Voting is available through Gibtelecom landlines and mobiles only.
A statement from GCS follows below:
Gibraltar Cultural Services is pleased to announce the phone lines for the 2026 Cultural Awards. The Awards aim to celebrate the best of Gibraltar’s arts and culture, by recognising potential, ability, talent and achievements throughout Gibraltar’s cultural community.
The Cultural Awards Board consists of The Hon. Fabian Vinet, Paula Latin, Ernest Gomez, Suyenne Perez Catania and Seamus Byrne. After a public call for nominations, the Board reviewed these alongside other individuals and groups who have made notable contributions in Gibraltar’s cultural sector over time. This shortlist is based on performances, events and projects, as well as achievements attained primarily between 1st July 2025 and 30th June 2026.
As part of the process, the public is encouraged to vote for their preferred nominees. The public lines will run from the 1st to the 30th September with the support of Gibtelecom who are providing the charity telephone numbers. Callers will need to seek the billpayer’s permission prior to calling, with calls costing £1, and all proceeds donated to the GBC Open Day Charitable Trust. Callers should note, only Gibtelecom landlines and Gibtelecom mobiles can access the voting lines.
The nominees and their corresponding phone lines are as follows (in alphabetical order): Junior (15 and under)
Luna Lee | 8660 Young Musician of the Year at GIBFYM 2026, lead role of Rizzo in school production of Grease The Musical 2026, Best Supporting Youth Actress at the Gibraltar Drama Festival 2025, highlight performances include the Bishop’s Ordination, the Christmas Festival of Lights and the official Netball Youth World Cup song.
Aanika Pai | 8661 Young international guitarist, NAMM performer in 2025 and 2026, Tagima Guitars representative playing alongside famous guitarists. She has released four original instrumental singles and performed at Gibraltar’s major music events.
Oceana Payne | 8662 Overall Solo winner at DWC Gibraltar 2025, Starpower Title winner 2025, Best Junior and Dancer of the Year winner at Dance Unit Spain 2026, first dancer to achieve a perfect score in the competition, and recipient of a lifetime scholarship from Abby Lee Miller in 2025.
Anna Pecino | 8663 Seven-time Dance World Champion with 17 medals, DWC 2025 Gold, Silver and Bronze winner. Starpower Inernational Judges Choice Award winner. DWC 2026 Most Outstanding Trio and Group winner, and GNDO 2025 Overall Soloist. Anna recently achieved Distinction in her pre-professional acrobatic examinations.
Gibraltar Cultural Services Ltd. 308 Main Street T: 20075669 E: culture.info@culture.gov.gi Company Reg. No. 706512
working for H.M. GOVERNMENT OF GIBRALTAR
Youth (24 and under)
Hannah Cavilla Latin | 8664 Overall Winner and Video Award winner at the Spring Visual Arts Competition 2026, Highly Commended at the Gibraltar International Art Competition 2025, and selected for RSA New Contemporaries 2027. Hannah received the Graduate Award from Visual Arts Scotland and the ECA Moving Image Award.
Sebastian Diaz | 8665 West End debut in Sea Witch 2026, MOVE IT UK Main Stage performer, Dancer of the Globe nominee, and C.Y.D. College Audition Gold Card recipient in 2023. He also choreographed World championship winning solo and duet pieces at Global Dance Open.
Lewis Llamas | 8666 IDO World Showdance Champion 2025, Dance World Cup Vice World Champion 2025, Best Male Dancer at GIDF 2026. He achieved the Highest Score of the Competition at the Global Dance Open Gibraltar Qualifier, Gold in Senior Contemporary and the Judges' Choice Award at the Sussex Festival for Performing Arts in 2026. Lewis has received a scholarship to study at Wilkes Academy.
Tyrone Vera | 8667 Spring Visual Arts Competition 2026 Sculpture Award winner, Second Prize AquaGib, Second Prize at the Sovereign Young Arts Competition 2026, and Best Young Artist at the Gibraltar International Art Exhibition 2025. Tyrone received a Global Showcase Nomination 2026 at the Didots Global Talent Showcase 2026 and won Second Prize and Highly Commended at the Our Gibraltar Art Competition 2025.
Senior (over 25)
Kayleigh Buttigieg | 8668 Recipient of multiple honours from the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers, including the Joan Cornish Willies Award for Outstanding Traditional Oil Painting and a Gold Bowl Honourable Mention. She was also a finalist in the Art Renewal Center International Salon Competition and was commissioned in 2026 to paint a portrait for the Governor of Gibraltar.
Molly McElwee | 8669 Sports journalist and author of Building Champions which was shortlisted for the Vikki Orvice Award at the Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards 2026, and contributor to The Guardian, The Observer, The Daily Telegraph and Financial Times. Presented the BJK Cup series On Her Shoulders, gaining 800,000 YouTube views. Her Substack blog has reached 2,000 subscribers.
Lilian and Lauren Montero | 8670 The mother and daughter duo have continued to achieve international acclaim, leading Stylos Dance Studios to medal-winning success at the Dance World Cup Finals 2026. Highlights include Lauren’s invitation to teach sold-out masterclasses at MOVE IT UK, Best Choreography Awards at Dreaming Dance 2026, Dance Unit 2026, Starpower Birmingham and Starpower Edinburgh 2026.
Alan Perez | 8671 Multidisciplinary artist exploring conflict, borders and identity through project series including Gibtaku, which brought together artists and students from Gibraltar and Spain through art and public discussion. Highlights include Conflict, Chaos and Reality, a collaborative installation for No Cuesta de Enero, and the international Traces of Humanity exhibition.
Best Educational Project
Born on the Rock Podcast – Lucinda Snape | 8672 Created by Lucinda Snape is the first oral history podcast documenting 125+ Gibraltar births across 60+ episodes, with more than 12,000 downloads in 95 countries. The project has created a growing cultural and social archive of Gibraltar family life from the 1970’s to current day.
Creative Environmental Project – St Anne’s Upper Primary School | 8673 A whole-school environmental project and public campaign promoting marine conservation. It included an awareness walk alongside speeches, performances, posters and public information materials focused on protecting Gibraltar’s marine environment. It won the Nautilus Project Overall School Award.
Palabras al Viento – Alice Mascarenhas | 8674 Palabras al Viento by Alice Mascarenhas MBE is an archival and literary project preserving Manolo Mascarenhas’s journalism 1946–1972. The hardback edition sold all 400 copies within six weeks and became a major feature of the 2025 Gibunco Gibraltar Literary Festival, including a sold-out panel discussion and popular school sessions.
The Urban Oasis Project - Gibraltar Horticultural Society in collaboration with Gibraltar Sustainable Buildings Group (GSBG) | 8675 The Urban Oasis Project is a creative community greening initiative encouraging residents, schools and businesses to transform everyday urban spaces while promoting biodiversity, sustainability and environmental education. It won the Nature Conservation Award at the 7th Gibraltar Sustainable Awards 2025.
There will be various other awards that will be presented on the night, including Cultural Ambassador, Extraordinary Achievement, and the Ministry of Culture Lifetime Achievement Award. These awards will be determined by the Board and will be announced at the awards ceremony, together with the rest of the winners in each category. The Gala ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday 25th November 2026 at the Aurora Ballroom, Sunborn Hotel at 7:30pm.
Find out more about this year’s nominees by visiting www.culture.gi/cultural-awards-2025- nominees/. For further information please contact the GCS Cultural Development Unit on +350 20041839 or email development@culture.gov.gi
