Elizabeth Alexander: |Art will never die. So why does it need philanthropy?

'You cannot kill the arts. This is particularly true when you talk about poetry, which does well in a world of social media as it's easy to digest in its short form. Measuring success in art can be tricky, though. Impact and influence can be felt immediately, so how does art find that everlasting durability? Philanthropy can encourage and enable art, and as a result, potentially lengthen its lifespan. If we can find ways to measure art in its own terms, we can effectively give a platform to new voices who complete the cultural picture. Elizabeth Alexander – poet, educator, memoirist, scholar, and arts activist – is president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the nation's largest funder in arts and culture, and humanities in higher education.' -- Big Think