Johnny Bugeja wins Lifetime Achievement Award

Chronicle photographer Johnny Bugeja has won the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Cultural Awards for his dedication in capturing Gibraltar’s special moments in a career spanning decades.

The award was a surprise for Mr Bugeja, who was covering the annual event for this newspaper.

As he readied his camera to snap the shocked expression of the winner, Mr Bugeja found the lens turned on himself.

Mr Bugeja was touched by the accolade, which marks decades of photographing Gibraltarians and pivotal moments in recent local history.

Moments after he received the award, he told the Chronicle he was stunned that the secret of his award had been kept so tightly that he did not have even the slightest inkling.

“A very big surprise. I never expected that,” he said.

“At 80, who was going to think that I was going to get a prize?”

Looking back at his career, he said his highlight was photographing Princess Diana during her 1981 visit to Gibraltar.

He caught the memorable photo of her disembarking a plane after landing in Gibraltar airport.

“I was a young photographer and very nervous at the sight of the plane,” he said.

“When she came down, as I said before, I was very lucky because I had a standard lens at the time.”

The photographers had closer access than they expected.

“What I now realise was that everybody had a long lens, a zoom lens, and I was the one who really got the picture,” he said.

At the prize ceremony, a video highlighting Mr Bugeja’s contributions was played to the audience at Grand Battery House.

Chronicle Editor Brian Reyes, former Deputy Editor Alice Mascarenhas, President of the Gibraltar Island Games Association Linda Alvarez, former GBC cameraman Alan Guerrero and Mr Bugeja’s sons spoke during a touching pre-recorded interview about him and his career.

Cultural Awards organisers Gibraltar Cultural Services (GCS) left no stone unturned when it came to ensuring the surprise would not be ruined ahead of time as Mr Bugeja is a staple at cultural events.

His son Danny attended under the guise of his role as a GBC cameraman, and his son Jonathan was asked to perform the closing number at the award show.

This meant both Mr Bugeja’s sons could attend the event without arousing any suspicion.

In an emotive moment, Danny and Jonathan performed together to close the show in front of a slideshow of some of Mr Bugeja’s most recognisable photos he’s taken throughout his career.

Mr Bugeja was recognised for his outstanding contribution to Gibraltar’s cultural and community life.

He was awarded the prize by the Minister of Culture, Christian Santos, alongside GCS Head of Cultural Development Davina Barbara who also presented the show. Mr Bugeja was also congratulated by GCS Chief Cultural Officer Seamus Byrne.

The Cultural Awards commended Mr Bugeja for being the eye behind some of Gibraltar’s most iconic images, capturing moments of national pride, Royal visits, sporting triumphs and community celebrations.

“His photographs have chronicled Gibraltar’s story with authenticity and heart, becoming part of the Rock’s shared visual memory.”

“A former dockyard worker and mason, Mr Bugeja discovered his passion for photography at the age of eleven with a simple Brownie camera. This was the start of a lifelong career defined by dedication and creativity.”

“Previously recognised by the Gibraltar Football Association and through exhibitions such as Our Sporting Heroes, Mr Bugeja continues to inspire with his enduring love for the craft. His legacy stands as a testament to the power of images to preserve and celebrate Gibraltar’s people, spirit, and history.”

Further awards were presented to those who have made an impact in the cultural scene.

The Cultural Ambassador Award was presented to poet, performer and advocate for bilingual expression Jonathan Teuma for his work which celebrates Gibraltar’s rich linguistic and cultural identity.

The Special Recognition Award was presented to Sonia Golt for her outstanding contribution to Gibraltar’s literary and cultural community life.

Ms Golt has long been a key figure in Gibraltar’s cultural scene and has dedicated years to charitable efforts with the Bosom Buddies Cancer Trust.

The Best Education Project was awarded to Patuka Press which has provided a platform for local writers to express themselves in poetry, short stories, and memoirs.

The Senior Award (age 25 and over) was presented to Karl Ullger for his contributions to art having won awards and exhibiting in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

The Youth Award (age 24 and under) was awarded to Kate Williamson who was awarded the Young Musician of the Year at the Gibraltar Festival of Young Musicians and ‘Best Actress’ at the Duncan Rand Drama Festival in the UK this year.

The Junior Award (age 15 and under) was awarded to Jayce Caetano who is an IDO World Champion and was Most Promising Dancer’ at the Can you Dance?, the UK’s biggest dance convention.

“My most sincere congratulations to all the winners, but especially to Johnny Bugeja and Sonia Golt who have been committed to culture and the arts for a lifetime,” the Minister for Culture Christian Santos said.

“I hope the younger winners continue to flourish and evolve for years to come. My thanks to Gibraltar Cultural Services for organising the Awards and for shining the spotlight on the individual nominees and winners, and culture in Gibraltar generally.”