In July 2014 he became Academy operations manager at former club Crewe Alexandra whilst still playing for Bala Town.

On 8 January 2017, Artell was appointed as Crewe Alexandra's first team manager, replacing Steve Davis.
One of his first moves was to appoint another ex-Crewe player and former Bala teammate Kenny Lunt as assistant manager.
With his side facing the possibility of relegation out of EFL League Two after a 4–0 defeat at Hartlepool United on 28 February, Artell warned his players that "relegation means oblivion... they'll end up in the Conference North on £200 a week with a job as a milkman."
He managed to get the reaction he was looking for as Crewe won four of their next five games in March to move towards mid-table safety, a team performance that helped earn Artell a nomination for EFL League Two Manager of the Month.
The "Railwaymen" ended the 2016–17 campaign in 17th-place, and Artell released six players in the summer.
He warned the remaining out-of-contract players to sign their new contracts quickly before he withdrew their offers, but said "we all had a say.
It's not a dictatorship.
I'm not Idi Amin or Pol Pot... it's evolution, not revolution, but we won't be happy with 17th in the table again next season".

Under Artell, Crewe fared marginally better in the 2017–18 season, finishing in 15th position thanks to a strong finish to the season.
Crewe had been in 22nd-place in November, leaving Artell to state again that "We have to get out ourselves of the mire.
It's win some games, or oblivion".
Two months later he criticised his team's game management skills after they lost two games in a row from winning positions – including throwing away a 3–1 lead over Swindon Town to lose 4–3.
On 20 February, Crewe lost 2–1 at home to Exeter City despite taking the lead on 88 minutes; Artell again criticised his player's professionalism and said: "That sums us up.
Played well, better team, in the lead, snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
That's been us over the course of the season".
Crewe's form improved following Exeter though, as ten points from a possible 18 took them over the 40 point mark by 20 March.
On 5 May 2018, Artell selected a starting 11 who were all Crewe Academy graduates against Cheltenham Town and was picked as EFL manager of the week after his team won 2–1.

Despite opening the season with a 6–0 thumping of Morecambe that earned Artell the opening EFL manager of the week award, Crewe struggled in the first half of the 2018–19 season.
Artell was then nominated for the EFL League Two Manager of the Month award after they climbed the table with ten points from five games - a highlight being a 1–0 win at promotion-chasing Milton Keynes Dons.
Artell admitted he had to come up with better 'coping mechanisms' after receiving four yellow cards and one sending off during the season.
Reflecting on his team's progress, he said that it was a 'critical statistic' that his side failed to beat any of the bottom 11 sides away from home.
Hoping to improve on a 12th-place finish, Artell released four players in the summer, whilst centre-back George Ray rejected the club's contract offer.

After starting the 2019–20 season with four wins in six games, Artell was again nominated for the EFL League Two Manager of the Month award.
Crewe were top of the table on 15 March when the EFL was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, though Artell claimed that he was "100% confident" that the season would not be scrapped, stating that "The integrity of each competition is important and we have to play the games that are left, whenever that is".
He was proved wrong.
Clubs voted to end the campaign without playing the remaining fixtures, and although Crewe were promoted Swindon Town won the league title with a higher points per game (PPG).
Nonetheless, Artell was selected as League Two Manager of the Year in the League Managers Association Awards.
In July 2014 he became Academy operations manager at former club Crewe Alexandra whilst still playing for Bala Town.
On 8 January 2017, Artell was appointed as Crewe Alexandra's first team manager, replacing Steve Davis. One of his first moves was to appoint another ex-Crewe player and former Bala teammate Kenny Lunt as assistant manager. With his side facing the possibility of relegation out of EFL League Two after a 4–0 defeat at Hartlepool United on 28 February, Artell warned his players that "relegation means oblivion... they'll end up in the Conference North on £200 a week with a job as a milkman." He managed to get the reaction he was looking for as Crewe won four of their next five games in March to move towards mid-table safety, a team performance that helped earn Artell a nomination for EFL League Two Manager of the Month. The "Railwaymen" ended the 2016–17 campaign in 17th-place, and Artell released six players in the summer. He warned the remaining out-of-contract players to sign their new contracts quickly before he withdrew their offers, but said "we all had a say. It's not a dictatorship. I'm not Idi Amin or Pol Pot... it's evolution, not revolution, but we won't be happy with 17th in the table again next season".
Under Artell, Crewe fared marginally better in the 2017–18 season, finishing in 15th position thanks to a strong finish to the season. Crewe had been in 22nd-place in November, leaving Artell to state again that "We have to get out ourselves of the mire. It's win some games, or oblivion". Two months later he criticised his team's game management skills after they lost two games in a row from winning positions – including throwing away a 3–1 lead over Swindon Town to lose 4–3. On 20 February, Crewe lost 2–1 at home to Exeter City despite taking the lead on 88 minutes; Artell again criticised his player's professionalism and said: "That sums us up. Played well, better team, in the lead, snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. That's been us over the course of the season". Crewe's form improved following Exeter though, as ten points from a possible 18 took them over the 40 point mark by 20 March. On 5 May 2018, Artell selected a starting 11 who were all Crewe Academy graduates against Cheltenham Town and was picked as EFL manager of the week after his team won 2–1.
Despite opening the season with a 6–0 thumping of Morecambe that earned Artell the opening EFL manager of the week award, Crewe struggled in the first half of the 2018–19 season. Artell was then nominated for the EFL League Two Manager of the Month award after they climbed the table with ten points from five games - a highlight being a 1–0 win at promotion-chasing Milton Keynes Dons. Artell admitted he had to come up with better 'coping mechanisms' after receiving four yellow cards and one sending off during the season. Reflecting on his team's progress, he said that it was a 'critical statistic' that his side failed to beat any of the bottom 11 sides away from home. Hoping to improve on a 12th-place finish, Artell released four players in the summer, whilst centre-back George Ray rejected the club's contract offer.
After starting the 2019–20 season with four wins in six games, Artell was again nominated for the EFL League Two Manager of the Month award. Crewe were top of the table on 15 March when the EFL was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, though Artell claimed that he was "100% confident" that the season would not be scrapped, stating that "The integrity of each competition is important and we have to play the games that are left, whenever that is". He was proved wrong. Clubs voted to end the campaign without playing the remaining fixtures, and although Crewe were promoted Swindon Town won the league title with a higher points per game (PPG). Nonetheless, Artell was selected as League Two Manager of the Year in the League Managers Association Awards.
David Artell