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. The recipients were:
1988 Sir Peter Hall1989 Dame Ninette de Valois1990 Sir Michael Tippett1991 Sir David Lean1992 Sir John Mills1993 Sir Peter Ustinov1994 Sir John Drummond1995 Sir Peter Wright1996 Sir Richard Eyre1997 Dame Judi Dench1998 Sir Edward Downes1999 Harold Pinter2000 Dame Alicia Markova2001 Paul Scofield2002 Sir Alfred Brendel2003 Sir Ian McKellen2004 Mike Leigh2005 Alan Bennett2006 Dame Helen Mirren2007 Sir Tom Stoppard2008 Peter Brook2009 Sir Alan Ayckbourn2010 Ken Loach2011 Stephen Sondheim2013 Grayson Perry2014 Sir Nicholas Hytner2015 Dame Maggie Smith