The Downtown Artery, a 14,000-square-foot arts hub in downtown Fort Collins hired Andrew Schneider as managing director earlier this year, to lead the organization through a period of growth and transformation. Downtown Artery was recognized earlier this month by the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts for outstanding partnerships and engagements with the arts — familiar territory for Schneider, who also continues working in the nonprofit space through Create Places, an economic and workforce development nonprofit he co-founded. Create Places provides support to increase creative and arts-related employment in Northern Colorado through initiatives like Techstars Startup Week Fort Collins, Artup Week Fort Collins, Open Streets, North Fort Neighborhood Connections, and others.

After 14 years away, Andrew moved back to Fort Collins in 2008 to blaze new trails beyond the saturated creative market of Los Angeles. Filling his time with live music, art, culture, and bicycling, he has worked on new and traditional media products with a focus on fostering community and fueling passion. In the short span of three years he has transitioned from a creative entrepreneur with a passion for community development to a full time organizer and evangelist for the power of arts, culture and creativity to serve a community’s interests. His work has earned him distinction as one of BizWest’s 2016 40 Under Forty rising regional leaders, as well as the attention of the state Office of Economic Development and International Trade—giving him a seat at the Colorado Change Leader Institute.