Pittsburgh City Paper: The Pittsburgh-based language learning app company, Duolingo, created its Community Arts Program to "support local artists and arts organizations by providing funding and resources for public art projects." Earlier this month, Duolingo announced that local artists Ebony Castaphney, Dominick McDuffie, and Lori Hepner would receive grants from the program.
6 comments:
08/29/22:
This article really puts into perspective how small our world is. Before moving to Pittsburgh, I had no idea that Duolingo was even founded here, and certainly not that it was created by CMU alum. This article touches on how larger corporations, like Duolingo, can connect to the arts to create change and support the community. It puts a smile on my face knowing that even monstrous, successful companies are providing funding and support to cultivate arts in Pittsburgh. “The Legacy of Butterflies,” the first piece funded by Duolingo’s Community Arts Program, also features a woman POC and is what I hope is just the beginning of a lot of beautiful art they fund scattered around the ‘Burgh. In addition to funding murals and art around the city, the company also awarded grants to continue focusing on creating art. This article makes me wonder about what other companies, ones even bigger than Duolingo, can do to support arts and young artists in communities around the world.
Marion Mongello
I think it is so interesting that a company that specializes in language education is supporting the arts. It really promotes the narrative that anyone can support the arts, no matter their discipline. Duolingo is leading the cause of supporting local artists not just in Pittsburgh, but globally. It isn’t every day that you see the arts being supported, especially by corporate companies. While $150,000 may not seem substantial, it is a huge step in promoting the arts as a job and practice in an era where it isn’t always a supported occupation. Wanting to go into the arts myself, this is really substantial. It shows me that even though I am a young artist, there is still hope for my future in this field as a career in an age where technology and AI are taking over. I also think that Duolingo is helping Pittsburgh as a whole with this endeavor. Bringing new exhibits and art murals to Pittsburgh will help with tourism and popularity in the Pittsburgh area. It will also bring light to areas that may be being hurt by the current gentrification of Pittsburgh by big corporations.
Ok, so I don’t use Duolingo - but I love it. (I really do want to start using it for French.) I am an avid follower of their TikTok and I think their social marketing team is really in touch, and knows their audience - which includes me. It’s so good that I would genuinely wait an hour in line to take a picture with Duo the owl, despite never using Duolingo. I had no idea that they had an artists’ initiative - and it kind of only makes me like the company more. I find it interesting that they would venture here, but thinking about it, they provide a service about learning languages - and therefore connecting cultures. So, it seems fitting that they want to combine visual languages as well as verbal ones. Supporting local artists is a cause I really believe in. For example, I frequently order from Etsy to support small businesses and artists, and then also get high quality work! Really a win-win. Anyway, Duo the owl is iconic and adorable and I wish I could give him a hug right now.
Jordan Pincus
I had absolutely zero idea that Duolingo was a Pittsburgh-based company. I've used the app before, and I mean who hasn't seen some of their TikToks and other social media posts, but I had no idea that they were based so close to where I now find myself. Obviously, that's not really the point of the article, that's more just my own mind being blown. Regardless, I think it's great that they are not only a company based on teaching many different languages to people all over the world, helping to connect people in a very meaningful way, but they also give back to their community. Not only that, but it seems like, at least by their choice of grant recipients, they are also dedicated to giving back to underrepresented and often unappreciated parts of the city's population and many different cultures. I hesitate to get my hopes up about any company nowadays, but it genuinely seems like they are a company that is in touch with not only their audience but the needs of the community that has allowed their company to flourish, a combination that you really don't find all that often.
When most people think of Duo Lingo the giant green owl comes to mind but it was exciting to find out that Duo Lingo stands for much more than their mascot and is giving back to their hometown. Through a language app funding art projects in the community it is further cemented that art is a crucial part of language and needs to be funded and shared. Duo Lingo is spreading this message through grants to local artists supporting local and public art. The lack of degree or career requirements with the only prerequisites for this funding being that you are from the Pittsburgh area and over 18 makes this grant more accessible to those who have good ideas but not necessarily the foundations of an art degree or years of in field experience. Duo Lingo focusing on public art pieces that give back to the community also starts to teach residents of the local Pittsburgh area the importance of art and creativity especially in today's more stem focused world.
Theo Kronemer
Similarly to many others, I had no idea that duolingo was created in Pittsburgh. Honestly, I am pretty surprised that it did due to Pittsburgh not being the most linguistically diverse city. However, on a closer look Pittsburgh does have many many different cultures, a majority of which are overlooked. Seeing the company give back to the community and specifically the arts is great to see. I feel like Pittsburgh art has been looked over recently especially the artist that are from different cultures. Art is an almost universal language which fits hand in hand with the app teaching languages and bringing people together. Another thing that I extremely appreciate is that this program are for older artist, not just for high schoolers and younger. The minimum age is 18 so its funding the art of people who are still the future yet aren't typically provided this support, these artist need to take care of themselves as well and this program gives them support.
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