'Art night' falls to nudity ban

The club said the sketches of dancers had 'serious artistic merit'

An enterprising US strip club owner has failed to get around local anti-nudity laws by issuing his customers with sketch pads for special "art nights".

Police in Boise, Idaho, cited three dancers at the Erotic City club for violating the city's rules.

The law allows full nudity only if the art has "serious artistic merit", a police spokesman said.

But city officials decided the club's customers were not focused on art, the police said.

'Insult'

"It was pretty obvious they were attempting to use artistic expression to get around the law," police spokeswoman Lynn Hightower told the Idaho Statesman newspaper.

"But it's clear - that exemption does not apply to adult businesses."

Police had earlier written to the club's management, warning that they had monitored "repeated violations".

Club owner Chris Teague said the citations were a violation of the dancers' civil rights and an "insult to the patrons".

He said "art night" had been put on hold while he fought the case in court.