Marketing Rooted in Creativity,
Strategy, and Results

Welcome to Hideaway Arts Marketing Agency—where creative energy meets thoughtful strategy. I’m Denise Leslie, founder and principal consultant, and I’m passionate about helping organizations grow, connect, and tell stories that matter. With more than three decades of marketing, publishing, and communications experience, I bring a perspective that blends the precision of strategic marketing with the heart of creative storytelling.

My marketing journey began unexpectedly in the early 1990s with an administrative position at a local stadium. That “stumble” became a rewarding career when I joined Ogden Entertainment, a global corporation managing concert venues, stadiums, and performing arts centers. I eventually served as Marketing Director, promoting everything from rock concerts, Broadway tours, NCAA championships, festivals, and trade shows to visual arts exhibitions and community events across the country.

My work has never fit neatly into one category—and neither does Hideaway Arts Marketing. While much of my career has centered on the arts and entertainment industry, I’ve partnered with nonprofits, higher education, public service organizations, tourism, healthcare, and small businesses to develop marketing strategies that build audiences, strengthen brands, and create meaningful community connections. Whether launching a new initiative, increasing attendance, writing compelling content, or developing long-term marketing plans, I believe every organization has a story worth telling.

After relocating to Durango, Colorado, I combined my marketing experience with my lifelong passion for the arts by purchasing and publishing Arts Perspective magazine, serving as publisher, editor, and advertising director for nearly a decade. Today, that publication has entered an exciting new chapter with its relaunch as a year-round digital arts magazine, complemented by an annual print edition celebrating the creative spirit of the Four Corners region.

Alongside my consulting work, I remain actively involved in the creative community. I serve as Marketing and Public Relations Consultant for the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, Editor of Durango City Lifestyle magazine, and owner of Hideaway Ukulele Studio, where I teach adults, build musical community, and lead the Hideaway Ukulele Community Program. These ongoing roles keep me connected to the audiences, organizations, and artists I serve while ensuring my marketing strategies remain current, practical, and grounded in real-world experience.

Hideaway Arts Marketing Agency was built on a simple belief: successful marketing is authentic, strategic, and relationship-driven. Whether you’re an arts organization, nonprofit, community initiative, or small business, my goal is to help you tell your story with clarity, creativity, and purpose—so your audience not only notices, but remembers.