When I first decided to do Art Festivals and Trade Shows, there was a lot to learn. You can spend a fortune before you even know if it is “your thing” or not. Finding ways to meet the requirements and keep costs under control is paramount.

First, you need a Canopy. And it must be WHITE! While Trimline is pretty much the cream of the crop in canopies, you will spend well over $1000 to buy one new. Even a used one will cost a pretty penny. I researched online and was able to find a good quality “commercial” EZ-Up Canopy for about $350. Not cheap, but reasonable. Be sure to buy at least 40lb. weights for each leg, or you will end up replacing your canopy before you want to. If you are going to do it, do it right. This was a good entry-level setup.

Next, you need some type of walls if you are hanging photos, paintings etc. This is where things can really get expensive. Keep in mind that looking professional is a big part of BEING professional. Don’t go with some hokey setup, and keep in mind how you will transport everything. Size and weight are big factors to consider. However, looking good doesn’t have to break the bank either.

A lot of folks use “ProPanels” for their walls. They look good and are pretty light, but, they are very expensive! Here again, you will spend well over $1000 for a 10’x10′ setup. After doing a bit of research, I discovered I could build my own walls and save a ton of money. It was a lot of work, but well worth the effort. They came out so nice that a few other artists have paid me to build walls for them. The problem for me is the time – even after building “jigs” to help with production, a set of 9 walls takes about 40 hours to build. I’d rather be painting!

So, I am putting together an instruction manual with everything you would need to Do it Yourself! It has a complete materials list, and every step of production is described in detail with photos and drawings. You can build everything with simple hand tools, but better tools will make the job easier. In the end, you can build a 10’x10′ setup for much less than half the cost of buying it. When complete, I will offer the manual for a minimal price, which will make it a very worthwhile investment.

Here are some photos of my first canopy, and my Do it Yourself walls;

If you have questions, you can reach me at ,
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