Artists Take Anti-Censorship Campaign to L.A. Restaurants

A group of Los Angeles-area artists sponsored a high-tech anti-censorship campaign Tuesday at some of the city’s toniest restaurants.

The Coalition for Freedom of Expression--artists opposing censorship and restrictions in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts--set up computers at seven locations around town and urged patrons to sign form letters addressed to senators and representatives urging them to oppose efforts in Congress to restrict NEA funding.

The form letters, which are targeted at members of the House subcommittee overseeing NEA funding, urged them “to support public funding for the arts and to place no restrictions on the content of works funded.”

Similar computerized letter-writing campaigns were conducted Tuesday in New York and San Francisco.

Organizers of the daylong program--conducted in conjunction with arts protests in Washington--hoped to flood Capitol Hill with 5,000 letters.

Film maker Edward Landler, co-chairman of the coalition that helped operate the computer at Gorky’s restaurant in downtown Los Angeles, said the grass-roots campaign was necessary because of the threat restrictions on the NEA pose for the arts. “Every area of the country realizes any cut in funding hampers a broad range of the educational impact of art,” said Landler.

Computers were set up at Java on Beverly Boulevard, Atlas Bar & Grill on Wilshire, City on Melrose, Trumps on Melrose , Gorky’s and two Marix Tex-Mex restaurants.

Diners were invited to sign and send the form letter or to compose a letter of their own. Professional writers were on hand to help patrons compose their letters.