Art in a City Revisited

Building on the groundbreaking book Art in a City by John Willet, which first surveyed the history of visual arts in Liverpool, this engaging follow-up explores contemporary Liverpudlian art by looking at it from alternative perspectives. Exploring and challenging the claim that Liverpool is Britain’s second city for art, Art in a City Revisited surveys key institutional players such as the Bluecoat and the Walker Gallery, as well as the Tate Liverpool, FACT, and the Liverpool Biennial. A volume with rich discussion on the nature of artistic patronage, the changing role of public art, and the social and community role of the artist—including contributions from Sean Cubitt and Mary Jane Jacob—this book is a major consideration of the role art plays in city regeneration and the future of Liverpool as a center of creative industry.