Doughnut painting sparks free speech debate for bakery, town

The Associated Press

CONWAY, N.H. (AP) – Where is the line between art, and advertising? The unresolved question is testing the direct democracy of a small New England town, where a painting of pastries has led to zoning dispute, a First Amendment lawsuit and a local vote.

It started with a well-intentioned high school art project, covering a blank wall over a roadside bakery in Conway, New Hampshire.

The mural above Leavitt’s Country Bakery shows the sun shining over mountains made of chocolate and strawberry donuts, a cinnamon roll and a blueberry muffin.

The zoning board says the painted pastries over the bakery make it advertising as well as art, so the mural is a sign that’s four sizes too big.

Read the full story on AP News right here.

(Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

4/18/2023 12:44:12 PM (GMT -5:00)