The Artful Dodger is a character in the novel, Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens. The Dodger (whose real name is Jack Dawkins) is so called because of his success in avoiding arrest, he being a skillful pickpocket. As a result he has become the leader of the gang of child criminals, trained by the elderly Fagin.
The nickname, "Artful Dodger", is still commonly used to refer to someone who is good at avoiding responsibility or the consequences of his/her actions.
The role of the Artful Dodger was amplified in the musical Oliver!, and launched the careers of Davy Jones and Jack Wild, among others. Another to have played the role (in an amateur production) was Ben Elton.
There is also a punk band named The Artful Dodger as well as a UK garage group named The Artful Dodger (see for more information).
"Artful Dodger" is Cockney rhyming slang for "lodger".
