Clifton Hill Community Music Centre

Clifton Hill Community Music Centre (also known as 'the organ factory') was established in 1976 to provide a space for the playing and rehearsal of music that was not of a commercial nature. The building (in the inner-city suburb of Clifton Hill, Melbourne, Australia) was an old two storey organ factory. It had strong links to the Latrobe University Music Department.

No money was charged from the audience, thereby eliminating the notion of possibly not getting one's money's worth. No money was paid to composers or performers. No equipment was supplied, and advertising was mostly word of mouth or very inexpensively photocopied posters. The removal of economics from the musical equation was of supreme importance in setting up a space with a truly alternative set of values.

Access to the space was completely open and no restrictions were placed on style or content of performances although there was a strong tendency towards experimental music as well as film performance and video. All one had to do was phone the co-ordinator of the Centre and a date for an event would be arranged.

The centre was run anarchically. A person elected, or was elected, to be co-ordinator who was then responsible for allocating performance times, opening and closing the building, arranging equipment for performers and making sure each night ran smoothly as well allocating the minimal publicity jobs. When that person tired of the co-ordinator's job, it was passed on to another. In this way, a sense of continuity and adapting to changing needs was built into the Centre's operation.

The most well known musicians to play there include David Chesworth, Philip Brophy, Warren Burt and Ernie Althoff.

External links

• History of CHCMC written by Ernie Althoff
• Clifton Hill Community Music Centre Tapes on-line archive of interview tapes with the principal participants of the CHCMC.