The Essential tools for a Degree show set up...

 Artwork in picture by Roseanna Clare

We have been setting up for the degree show all week now and today it was finally done.

I am glad it's over and am looking forward to the opening night and seeing everyone's work all looking fabulous.

I hope that you don't ever have to feel the pain of setting up a degree show. I literally put blood, sweat and tears into it and am now going through the recovery process, which involves jelly, cookery magazines and the occasional glass of Prosecco. If however you do ever have to set up a show, this is what you may need.

Masking Tape
Mask off every area of floor you paint, if you don't, people will step on it and you will be angry or cry. They will step on it anyway, but this decreases the likelihood and is better for your sanity.

Wet Paint Signs
Like masking tape, this helps your sanity. It also means you feel more justified for calling people who step on your paint morons.

Roller & Tray
If you don't have these you can't paint, at least not quickly. You could borrow someone else's but they may scowl at you.
 
Scraper
For scraping off the polyfiller you dropped on the floor whilst filling in gaping holes in the wall. This is also useful for applying polyfiller to holes in the wall. It is not good for opening paint tins though, it's too bendy.

A screwdriver
For opening paint tins.

Sandpaper
For sanding the liberal amounts of polyfiller you just applied to everything.

Newspaper
This is useful for avoiding getting the wrong kind of paint on the floor, like any paint which is not the colour the floor is going to be.

Scalpel
For cutting off the ends of the wall/board tape

Paint Thinners
Floor paint is oil based and if it gets on ANYTHING which is not the floor it will stay there, unless you have paint thinners or white spirit. (Note: Do not spill the paint thinners on the floor)

Many Paintbrushes - Very cheap ones
For painting the edges of floors and walls, you need them to be cheap because people 'borrow' these and leave them places with paint on.
 
A helper
These are a valuable recourse, they work for free and help you to get things done in time. Thank them lots and give them beverages. I recommend you get a strong one that can lift things better than you, like I did.

Plyers
For pulling things out of the wall which shouldn't be there.

A hammer
If you are using anything with wires then a hammer is your friend, as you can tack them up with those little wire holder things.

Cable Ties 
For tying up wires and making everything look neat and wonderful. 


Plasters
I needed these for when I decided to run a cable through the ceiling and discovered some jagged metal. I am not the only one who injured themselves though, I saw many blisters.

Coca Cola
To bribe your helper and keep you nourished in extreme weathers.

There were many other things I used (electric screwdrivers, paint, tape) but these were the things which my university (Winchester School of Art) didn't provide for me. If you have yet to embark on your degree show adventure I wish you luck.