Józef Wilkoń - a graphic artist, painter, sculptor and one of the world's best known book illustrators has been awarded the "Golden Sceptre" in 2010. The artist received the award for "works full of a subtle balance between perfect technique and simplicity of the humanistic message". The "Small Sceptre" for a young artist, taking the master's route, was awarded to graphic artist Mateusz Dąbrowski, Teaching Assistant at the Warsaw Fine Arts Academy. The award-giving ceremony, which took place on 22 November in the National Theatre in Warsaw, was accompanied by an exhibition of Wilkoń's sculptures and graphics, and a special concert titled "Music Among Beasts" was given by: Tomasz Stańko, Joszko Broda, Joachim Mencel, Marcin Pospieszalski and Robert Usewicz.

Krzysztof Penderecki, the world-famous composer, has been awarded the "Golden Sceptre", awarded for the eleventh time by Bank Millennium and the Polish Culture Foundation. The artist was recognised for "his entire composing work, in which innovative musical expression was used to proclaim universal spiritual meaning and to bring old and modern Polish music into the mainstream of world music life". The ceremony, during which the award was presented to Krzysztof Penderecki, was held on 29 November 2009 in the Library of the University of Warsaw. The evening ceremony was honoured by the Polish Chamber Choir, conducted by Jan Łukaszewski, which performed Mr Penderecki's composition for choir a cappella. Krzysztof Penderecki awarded the "Small Sceptre" to Rafał Kwiatkowski - an eminent cellist of the young generation.

This year's Golden Sceptre - an award bestowed annually by Bank Millennium and the Polish Culture Foundation to outstanding Polish culture artist - went to Maria Fołtyn. The Jury, lead by Beata Tyszkiewicz, awarded the prize to the Artist in recognition of her outstanding artistic accomplishments - vocal, directing, and mentorship, and for continuous promotion of Polish music in the World. The Golden Sceptre was founded in 1999 as an artistic award, to be presented by the Polish Culture Foundation and Bank Millennium to outstanding Polish culture artists. The award is bestowed for 'work of art, in the broadest meaning of the word, of an individual human being, a community, group, social organization, artistic institution, or a cultural or scientific movement. Since the beginning, Bank Millennium has been the patron of the Gold Sceptre award as well as the proud sponsor of associated artistic events. Over the years, the Golden Scepter has been awarded to the following persons: Jerzy Giedroyć, Wojciech Kilar, Stanisław Lem, Roman Polański, Ewa Podleś, Sławomir Mrożek, Janusz Gajos, and Tadeusz Różewicz. Every year, in line with the award regulations, the Winner appoints an outstanding young generation artist as the nominee for the so-called Little Scepter. This year's winner, Maria Fołtyn made her decision to offer this distinction to a talented tenor Rafał Bartmański. The Golden Sceptre prize-giving ceremony was held on September 26, 2007 at the National Theater - National Opera in Warsaw. The evening agenda was filled with a special staging of Śpiewnik domowy Pana Stanisława Moniuszki, arranged by Krzysztof Herdzin, with opera artists and pop music stars. Traditionally, the show is recorded by Telewizja Polska to be broadcast shortly on TVP2. The Bank's involvement in development and creation of the Golden Sceptre award is a natural consequence of the long years of its contribution in supporting high culture artistic initiatives, with the Golden Scepter itself being recognized as one of Poland's top honors in the area of culture and arts.

"Golden Sceptre" - the award of Polish Culture Foundation and Bank Millennium went in 2006 to Tadeusz Różewicz, a poet, playwright and writer. The Chapter consisting of: Beata Tyszkiewicz, Bogusław Kott, Agnieszka Duczmal, Aleksander Krawczuk, Wacław Sadkowski, Rafał Skąpski, Andrzej Strumiłło awarded it to T. Różewicz "for all his achievements as a poet, playwright and writer that are characteristic of overwhelming simplicity of artistic expression, and implacable and moralistic inquisitiveness cleaning the audience's sensitivity from all that limit it, blunt it and make it routine".

Janusz Gajos, one of the best Polish theatre, TV and film actor, was awarded Golden Sceptre 2005, the prize given by the Polish Culture Foundation and Bank Millennium. In justifying its decision the jury headed by Beata Tyszkiewicz stated that the prize was awarded for virtuoso theatre and film roles delving deeper into the truth about man today. The award giving ceremony took place on 5 September 2005 in Teatr Stanisławowski in Łazienki Park, Warsaw. The evening scripted by Andrzej Poniedzielski reminded the acting career of Janusz Gajos. The participants included Leszek Możdżer, Anna Serafińska, Włodzimiesz Nahorny, Stanisław Tym and Kazimierz Kutz, who said: "Janusz is so lucky, but with complications. He is headstrong and this trait allowed him to become an actor, despite all the odds. For they did everything to discourage him from becoming one." The Golden Sceptre's accompanying award, whose granting is in the gift of the Golden Sceptre Winner, went to Piotr Adamczyk, brilliant actor of the young generation. Janusz Gajos is the seventh winner of "Złote Berło", the annual award established by the Polish Culture Foundation and Bank Millennium, previously given to: Jerzy Giedroyc, Wojciech Kilar, Stanisław Lem, Roman Polański, Ewa Podleś and Sławomir Mrożek. The award is a statuette (sculpted by Prof. Krzysztof Nitsch) and PLN 110 thous.

Sławomir Mrożek - prose writer, playwright, and a draftsman become the winner of this year's "Golden Sceptre" award, granted by the Polish Culture Foundation and Bank Millennium. In the rationale behind its decision, the Jury - chaired by Beata Tyszkiewicz - stressed the perseverance of the artist in his efforts to study dark and bitter paradoxes of life with the intention to enrich the human condition. The "Little Sceptre" award, given, according to the bylaws, independently by the prize-winner to a young artist of his/her favour, has been awarded to a draftsman Marek Raczkowski, famous for his drawings for ‘Przekrój'.

Polish Culture Foundation and Bank Millennium grant "Golden Sceptre" to Ms Ewa Podleś for mastery, masterly vocal sills, musical culture, for consistent artistic choices that allow Poland and Poles to feel proud of the only authentic counter-alto in the world(Excerpt from the verdict of the "Golden Sceptre" Chapter). The old, beautiful interiors of Stanisławowski Theatre in the Royal Łazienki Park in Warsaw constituted a unique scenery for the award ceremony of this year's, 5th in the history, "Golden Sceptre". The prestige of the award established by the Polish Culture Foundation and Bank Millennium has been built by its to-date winners: editor Jerzy Giedroyc, composer Wojciech Kilar, writer Stanisław Lem and film director Roman Polański and its accompanying special concerts or programmes, which became true cultural events. It is also of importance that the winner, apart from a sculpture of outstanding beauty authored by professor Krzysztof Nitsch, receives an award in the amount of one hundred thousand PLN (the highest one in Poland) and a possibility to grant a special award of ten thousand PLN to a young promising artist of one's choice.

The "Golden Sceptre" award, given each year by the Polish Culture Foundation and BIG Bank GDAŃSKI SA went in 2002 to the film director Roman Polański.

The "Golden Sceptre" award in 2001, given by the Polish Culture Foundation and BIG Bank GDAŃSKI SA went to the writer Stanisław Lem. The award chapter, chaired by Beata Tyszkiewicz gave the award to Stanisław Lem for "thinking ahead of his time". The prize is a sculpture by professor Krzysztof Nitsch and the sum of PLN 100 000. An additional award of PLN 10 000 for a young talented author was presented by Stanisław Lem to Jolanta Stefko, a young poet from Cracow. Both awards were sponsored by BIG Bank GDAŃSKI SA. The award giving ceremony took place on 24 May 2001 in the Prussian Homage Hall in Sukiennice in Cracow, with a commemorative show on this occasion being given in the Teatr Stu on 27 May 2001. This event was broadcast on 3 June this year on TVP Channel II.

Wojciech Kilar - Composer, pianist, a lover of mountains and travel. An eminent artist, composing i.a. great symphonic works inspired with love for the Tatry mountains and highland folklore - "Krzesany", "Kościelec", "Siwa mgła", "Orawa" and accompanying great historic events in Poland, also expressing the composer's Christian "credo", his life being an incessant thanksgiving for the Gift of God - "Bogurodzica", Exodus", "Angelus", "Victoria". Eminent works, reaching to the essence of the composer's message, who with his music wishes to disseminate good and hope among people, bring attention to the highest values and give joy.

During the years 1929-1935 he was press and parliamentary clerk in the Ministry of Agriculture, then Chief of the Presidial Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (until 1939), as well as editor of the "Dzień Akademicki" magazine and the biweekly "Bunt Młodych", transformed into the weekly "Polityka".