One Swift Current man has been recognized for his work in keeping the city's art community flourishing.

Kim Houghtaling, director and curator with the Art Gallery of Swift Current (AGSC), was recently recognized by the Saskatchewan Art Awards and Jarislowky Fraser Partners Foundation with their Individual Leadership Award. The honour celebrates him as one of the best leaders of the arts across the province.

"You're moved because your work is very important to you," Houghtaling said, describing what it felt like to receive the award. "Having your peers and a lot of important people in culture applauding you for it, it was just very special."

"It was a really quite wonderful experience."

He was nominated by his co-workers and put through an adjudication process before being selected as the top prospect for the award.

The Windscape Kite Festival, Blenders concert series, and The Lyric Theatre all have roots at Swift Current's art gallery.

"That's really why I was recognized, and why the gallery was seen as such a resource, because of it's long involvement with so much."

Houghtaling started his career with the AGSC back in 1996.

"It was such a great community to live in and be a part of, and raise your family in, that we definitely wanted to stay, and we're really glad that we've been able to work in culture the whole time," he said.

The gallery also contributed to Swift Current's assets in family-raising.

"We've had young people, when they were children, who were involved in art activity programs here at the gallery. I've seen them grow into interested, active, culture-minded teenagers, who were coming out for various things, taking art classes and so forth, " he said.

"They then go off to university and get professional degrees in visual art, and even come back to work with us in the summertime, and then after graduating, go to work for other centres and continue the visual art practice and education."

The AGSC curator added that Swift Current is the proud owner of a good reputation for being a community centred around culture.

Since he began work there, the gallery has hosted over 150 exhibitions.

Houghtaling offered his thanks to the City of Swift Current for continuing to believe in the AGSC and the role it plays in the city.