Arvada Center President And CEO Philip C. Sneed To Retire In 2026
Sneed will conclude his tenure on June 30, 2026, after more than a decade of leadership.
By: A.A. Cristi Aug. 18, 2025
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities President and CEO Philip C. Sneed has announced that he will retire effective June 30, 2026. A 40-year member of Actors' Equity Association, Sneed’s connection to the Arvada Center began nearly five decades ago, when he appeared in his first professional acting role at the Center in 1976. He was appointed Executive Director (later titled President and CEO) in 2013.
“Leading the Arvada Center has been the greatest achievement of my working life,” said Sneed. “I am honored to have been able to play a key role in the organization during times of both crisis and opportunity, and I am so proud that I can end my leadership career where I began my professional life in the arts, almost 50 years ago."
A Legacy of Leadership
During Sneed’s 12-year tenure, the Arvada Center achieved significant growth and resilience. Under his leadership, the Center transitioned from a City department to an independent nonprofit with a 20-year Cooperative Agreement with the City of Arvada; grew philanthropic support from $250,000 annually to $1.1 million; and expanded its budget by 36% despite pandemic-era setbacks.
The Center also secured more than $6.2 million in federal pandemic relief funds, sustained programming during COVID closures, and created a Board-backed Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) initiative that made IDEA a “primary factor” in organizational decision-making. Notable partnerships formed during his tenure include collaborations with the African Leadership Group, Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce, and the Autism Community Store.
“Philip Sneed is leaving an indelibly positive impact on the Arvada Center,” said Board Chair Ken Fellman. “As our longest serving President and CEO, he successfully led the Center through monumental challenges while ensuring the organization remained a statewide leader in theatre, arts education, and humanities programming.”
Career and Future Transition
Sneed’s career also includes leadership roles at the Foothill Theatre Company, the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, and the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. He earned his BFA from the University of Colorado Boulder and his MFA in Acting from UC San Diego.
The Arvada Center will begin a national search for Sneed’s successor in Fall 2025, led by Campbell & Co.
About the Arvada Center
Founded in 1976, the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities is celebrating its 50th anniversary season, presenting national-caliber theatre, music, dance, arts education, and humanities programming. The Arvada Center is supported in part by the City of Arvada, the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), Colorado Creative Industries, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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