Global Village was the name given to a warehouse complex in the industrial heartland of Footscray by Richard John of M.U.D. Once the Docklands Cotton Mill, the huge warehouse space was lying unused and was 'discovered' by Phil Voodoo who recognised its potential as an art/events space.
Global Village truly came to life though, on New Year's Eve 1993/1994 when it hosted its first Every Picture Tells A Story party.
Global Village was the first of its kind in Australia, and possibly the world - a local council approved venue that allowed for total freedom to create any style of event without noise restrictions or hours of operation.
Global Village hosted a range of events, from a Melbourne Fashion Festival show, various art exhibitions (such as Mind a Maze) and various dance parties.
Over sixty events were held, and the final 'Shut-Down' party was held on 22 February 1997. The afternoon of the party, the building's owners attempted to stop the party taking place by locking the organisers out and putting security guards in place to guard the entrances.
Far from being deterred, MUD moved the sound system into the outside courtyard and with hundreds of guests beginning to queue outside, the local police were called by the owner's to assist in shutting the event down. However, due to the enormous popularity of Global Village and its events, the size of the crowd that had gathered, and the fact that no problems had ever arisen at previous events, the police allowed the party to go ahead fearing a riot may take place if they intervened.
Co-founder Phil Voodoo described Global Village as "artistic hub of like-minded people that came to dance, laugh, and express themselves in a safe, inspirational environment that was unique to the 90's."
Read more about this topic: Every Picture Tells A Story Melbourne
Famous quotes related to global village:
“Ours is a brand—new world of allatonceness. ‘Time’ has ceased, ‘space’ has vanished. We now live in a global village ... a simultaneous happening.”
—Marshall McLuhan (1911–1980)
“The Sage of Toronto ... spent several decades marveling at the numerous freedoms created by a ‘global village’ instantly and effortlessly accessible to all. Villages, unlike towns, have always been ruled by conformism, isolation, petty surveillance, boredom and repetitive malicious gossip about the same families. Which is a precise enough description of the global spectacle’s present vulgarity.”
—Guy Debord (b. 1931)