By hiring to one another, we aim to create relationships and build resilient communities of practitioners.

One of the ways we are doing this is by making us all familiar with one another's stock. Not only will this make for easier sharing, it'll make for better, more creative shows. It's not easy to imagine a scene where a pantomime dame turns into a unicorn until you know someone who has a dress that does it.

Our hope is that over time, Pursued By Bear will become a first-port-of-call resource in the creative process. That, before we go about imagining our next show, we will have a look at what is available. Not only will this mean lowering our costs, it also means less waste, and it means more money in the pockets of the artists.

Another important part of community is location. That's why we display the number of miles to item next to every item returned by our search. Not only is this super-helpful if you're trying to hire something that requires special couriering (ever tried posting a giant for Jack and the Beanstalk through the Royal Mail?!) but it gives users a quantifiable handle on the environmental impact of their show.

Over time, Pursued By Bear will help to create collaborative, local and sustainable networks.