1. Introduction: art in the first industrial society
2. Lorenzo in Liverpool: William Roscoe, civic myths and the institutionalisation of urban culture
3. An 'ornament to the town'? The Royal Manchester Institution and early public art patronage in Manchester
4. From private to civic: the diverse origins of the municipal art gallery movement
5. A 'solid foundation'? Art schools and art education
6. The art of philanthropy? The formation and development of the Walker Art Gallery
7. A problem of scale and leadership? Manchester's municipal ambitions and the 'failure' of public spirit
8. Challenging 'the ocean of mediocrity and pretence'? The alternative visions of the Whitworth and Harris Galleries
9. The rise and fall of the municipal art gallery movement? The public and private dimensions of local civic art
Bibliography
Index