This sky is your sky

'This sky is your sky' is a two-part public art installation that intertwines the history of the iconic building of the 422 Community Hub at 422 Stockport Road in Manchester with the hopes and dreams of its communities. The project was commissioned by 422 Arts with the support of Arts Council England, and selected through a public vote by the residents of Longsight and Ardwick in autumn 2023. The first part of the installation is an illuminated sign on the building's façade bearing the phrase "This sky is your sky". The starting point for this text-based artwork was the building's past as one of the first free public libraries in the United Kingdom – a choice highlighting the value of free education and access to knowledge for all. This is particularly relevant to Longsight, given that it is one of Manchester's most ethnically diverse inner-city areas, which is also experiencing some of the highest rates of child poverty in the United Kingdom. The phrase of the illuminated sign creates a contrast with those challenges, serving as a reminder that the 422 building, and by extension its neighbourhood, is a place belonging to the people. As described to the artist by local residents, 422 Stockport Road is "a home next to home"; a "bright" space of "trust" where people feel "respected" and "confident" to be themselves. Inside the building, the Grand Hall's windows feature semi-transparent photographs of the sky above the building at different times of the day, taken by community members during workshops delivered by photography students and tutors of Manchester Metropolitan University. These images capture the literal and metaphorical essence of the installation, as the light filtering through them creates a visual experience that connects the building's interior with its surroundings. Balaskas collaborated closely with local residents, 422's team, and volunteers in a 10-month community-led development process to create a work that acknowledges the building as a welcoming and supportive space for local communities. 'This Sky is your sky' is now a distinctive landmark at the heart of Longsight, marking 422 Stockport Road as a place where people can connect with each other, find support, and look towards the future.