Arts spending can use more discretion. Again, if a private financer would face a backlash over such works, the government board members who approve controversial works should at the very least be made to defend their decisions. We don't have to finance offensive work; such work should also be public domain since we paid for it. There are plenty of world famous photos in the National Archives because the photographers were paid by FDR's WPA. They carry no copyright. NASA's space photos carry no copyright.
See if (the late) Mapplethorpe would have been willing to give some shots to the government if every t-shirt vendor, postcard manufacturer, etc. could sell the image royalty free.