The SkyWorks Legacy

Photo Vincenzo Pietropaolo

We created more than 35 documentaries that remain remarkably timely and available for screening.

Over our 32-year history SkyWorks staff, crew and Board have stood as witnesses, participants, and documentarians. We engaged with many and diverse community and workplace organizations and First Nations communities – working together for systemic social change. Those communities invested their trust in our working relationship. They allowed us to carry forward their voices. We worked closely with families, children and youth, newcomers, health care advocates, social service workers, women combating abuse, people with disabilities, mental health activists, all across Ontario and Canada.

It was an intense, joyful, demanding commitment. SkyWorks Charitable Foundation was like no other documentary organization in Canada. Our activities were life-changing for participants, crew, and often, for our audiences.

This work was not always easy or flawless. At times it was overwhelming. We were sometimes in despair as we documented the suffering caused by injustice, illness, discrimination and isolation. But there was also affirmation and pride that we shared with documentary participants. We created opportunities for kids and their families to tell their stories and to be heard. We were their witnesses and advocates. For participants and project partners, the documentary projects became their form of action. At SkyWorks, children, youth and families were our teachers.

Relinquishing our charitable status in 2018 was a very difficult decision for the Board and staff. It was a very tough loss. During our final years, it became too difficult to raise adequate funds to sustain the infrastructure that supported our research, production, project dissemination and our vital community relationships.

We are proud of our history. The documentaries certainly live on. Many of these films feel like they could have been made yesterday. Recent audiences have told us that our organization was way ahead of our time in choosing the topics we focused on. The issues are still vital, the community organizations are still building strategies for social change.

The SkyWorks archive has been donated to the Media Commons at the University of Toronto and will be available to students, researchers, filmmakers and documentary enthusiasts. media.commons@utoronto.ca

For more information, to book a screening or workshop, we can be reached at 416-992-3446 or at laurasky@sympatico.ca

To preview or purchase our documentaries and support materials please contact distribution@vtape.org