A.R.T./New York Shout-Out: Tools for Budgeting in Uncertain Times with Arts FMS

Tuesday March 24, 2026
11:00am-12:00pm ET
Location: Zoom
Facilitated by Andrea Nellis & Lucy Mallett of Arts FMS

Tools for Budgeting in Uncertain Timesoffers practical, real-world strategies for theater companies navigating financial uncertainty. This presentation walks through multiple approaches to building and adjusting budgets, including creating budget sketches and planning across multiple years. It also addresses common budget pitfalls, how to assess and respond to deficits, and why cash flow can be the most critical planning tool during challenging periods. Designed with nonprofit theater companies in mind, this session provides frameworks and questions you can immediately apply to support informed decision-making, strengthen financial resilience, and communicate more clearly with boards and funders. The session will include time for questions and collaboration.

Arts FMS
Arts FMS delivers exemplary financial management services focused on long-term fiscal health and sustainability, empowering nonprofit arts organizations to focus on fulfilling their missions. Specializing in nonprofit financial management, our experience brings stability, efficiency, and reliability to your financial operations. Our clients receive accurate and timely data that both informs their current strategic financial decisions and better prepares them for the future.  

As your financial partner, Arts FMS integrates directly with your staff and board. Once engaged, we work with you to assess what services and systems would most benefit your nonprofit organization. Our approach is adaptable, working seamlessly with your current effective systems while introducing new systems to enhance efficiency and streamline workflows for both you and Arts FMS.

Art is vital to our society and core to our mission. Principals Andrea Nellis and Lucy Mallett bring decades of nonprofit financial management experience as both practitioners and advisors to cultural leaders, strengthening the sector, and securing both the present and future of our clients.

Andrea Nellis
With over 30 years of service in the Arts, Andrea Nellis launched her consulting practice in 2014. Prior to this, Andrea held financial leadership positions within several major cultural institutions. Most recently, she was the Managing Director of New York City Opera. Prior to NYC Opera, she was the General Manager and Chief Financial Officer of the Public Theater, managing day-to-day operations of a seven-performance space organization. In addition, she has held positions at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, BAM Local Development Corporation, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. 

Andrea holds an MFA in Theater Management from the Yale School of Drama and a BFA in Stage Management from Boston University. She has also served as a lecturer in Financial Management at both the Yale School of Drama and NYU Steinhardt. 

Lucy Mallett
Lucy Mallett has over fifteen years of experience working with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, primarily in the arts. Most recently, Lucy served as the Director of Finance & Operations for Denham Wolf, the leading real estate firm serving nonprofit performing arts in New York. Prior to this position, she served as Director of Finance & Administration for Elevator Repair Service (ERS). When Lucy transitioned to consulting in 2016, both ERS and Denham Wolf chose to engage her for their financial management and became her inaugural clients.  

Lucy holds an MA in Performing Arts Administration from NYU Steinhardt and a BA in Psychology with a minor in Dance from The College of Wooster. Additionally, she studied Financial Management for Film, Advanced Nonprofit Accounting, and Real Estate Financial Analysis at NYU School of Continuing Professional Studies.

Accessibility: ASL interpretation and live CART captioning are available by request. We kindly ask that requests for accessibility accommodations are submitted by 5 days in advance to the event. You may request accommodations directly on the registration form, or by contacting Ashley J. Hicks at [email protected].