However, Mr Clark guaranteed yesterday the national arts development agency did not raise any concern about his speech.
Mr Clark used the word when speaking at an Art Foundation event earlier this week where he touched on the issue of freedom of expression in art.
In an interview with the Otago Daily Times after the episode, he said he was surprised with the complaints, as he received good feedback after the meeting, including from Creative NZ representatives.
However, a spokeswoman for Creative NZ denied his claims.
"No-one from Creative New Zealand has commended Mr Clark on his recent his talk in Invercargill.
"We understand Mayor Clark’s intention was to provoke conversation. Unfortunately, it has turned into a distraction from the uplifting and energising kōrero about the arts which is the kaupapa of the series."
She said Creative New Zealand was a partner of the All In For Arts speaker series with The Arts Foundation which would be touring across the country.
"No doubt [it] will generate a lot of positive discussion in the coming weeks."
The ODT approached Mr Clark for comment and he was surprised by the statement.
"They can back off as much as they like. I know what they said to me when they came to see me a few hours later.
"They did not raise any concerns at all."
Mr Clark used the word during a talk where he asked members of the arts community at the event questions which he warned would make them uncomfortable.
After talking about other topics he asked a question about freedom of expression, saying: "Does poetic expression override some of our society norms? So you have got to close your ears if you have got a sensitive mind now.
"But if we have art or poetry that uses words like queer, n....., f... the bitch, which I have heard recently, is that beyond our tolerance as a society and how does that interface with the right of people within the art world to have freedom of expression to push their points?"
Mr Clark defended the use of the n-word.
"I used provocative language, or used words that were recently in the media to make people think."
Asked yesterday if he planned to make any public apology, he said he would not.
