CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SAN DIEGO : NEA to Investigate Artists’ Use of Grant

The National Endowment for the Arts will investigate four San Diego artists who used federal grant money to rent commercial advertising space on 25 bus benches as a protest against police use of deadly force. The art on the 25 benches features the outline of seven human bodies silhouetted in black against a red background. Within each figure is a target, similar to those at police shooting ranges. NEA funds may not be used for commercial advertising, whether the content is political or not, said Jack Lichtenstein, the arts funding agency’s national spokesman. He confirmed that the NEA would “look into the matter” at the request of Rep. Bill Lowery (R-San Diego).