Anna Kontek was born in Poland. First graduated as an architect in Warsaw she entered the University of Art and Design in Helsinki and obtained a Master’s degree in stage design in 1984. Her master thesis consisted of the set and costume design for The Little Prince Ballet for the Finnish National Opera 1982, which she was appointed at the same year. She has designed the sets and costumes for over 160 operas, ballets and theatre productions.

Cooperation outside Finland
Japan, United States, France, Poland, Germany, Estonia, Russia, Belarus, Czech Republic, Sweden, Latvia.

Exhibitions
Besides exhibiting around the Finland, her work has been seen in Prague, Warsaw, Tokyo, Toronto, Bilbao, Tallinn and Tarto.

Prizes and nominations 
Silver medal at the international Prague Quadriennale in 1995 of her stage and costume design for the opera The Nightingale, The Finnish Wihuri Prize in 2002 of her costume designs for the opera Khovanshchina,The Best Opera in the world 2017 YAMawards for the opera Miracle boy A with her scenography and costumes and The Onegin Award (the most important musical theatre award in Russia, 2017) for set design and costumes for César Cui’s opera The Prisoner of the Caucasus,
The Crystal Mask Prize at the Teatralnaya Vesna Festival (Russia, 2018) for Best Set Design and Costumes for The Prisoner of the Caucasus.

Cerificate of appreciation awarded by minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Poland Krzysztof Skubiszewski for her promotion of Polish culture abroad 1991, Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for her promotion of Polish culture in Finland 1999, Knight of the Lion of the Republic of Finland awarded by President of the Republic of Finland 2014, The Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland 2017.

Teaching
Finland, Spain, Portugal, Poland.