Chatham County, NC
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Arts Center
Upcoming Art Center Programs or Announcements
964 East St, Suite 105, Pittsboro, NC 27312 | 919-545-8555
Leigh Babcock, Arts and Cultural Program Supervisor
leigh.babcock@chathamcountync.gov
Chatham County Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources officially opened the Arts Center on May 17, 2025, with a ribbon cutting ceremony, hands-on arts and crafts, live demonstrations, music, food, and fun!
“We’re incredibly excited to open the doors to this vibrant new space,” said Tracy Burnett, Director of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources. “The Arts Center is a place where creativity, community, and culture will come together, and we can’t wait to see it come to life with the help of our residents.”
The Arts Center has classroom & studio space featuring pottery kilns, a glass kiln, pottery wheels, exhibition space and a large screen for digital projection.
The Arts program is growing and currently offers a variety of multi medium arts classes for all ages including Clay Hand-building, Drawing, Glass Fusing, Mosaics, Literary Arts, Painting, Printmaking, Stained Glass, Textiles and more! We provide workshops, longer-format classes, and collaborative teaching partnerships.
The Arts Center is located behind the Performance Building at 964 East Street, Suite 105, Pittsboro, NC 27312. To access the studio, drive straight through the open gate and look for the sign that reads “Arts Center.” Please note, the facility is open during class time only but can be opened by appointment by contacting our main office at 919-545-8555. For more information, contact Leigh Babcock, the Arts and Cultural Program Supervisor at 919-545-8552 or leigh.babcock@chathamcountync.gov.
| Meet Leigh Babcock! | |
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Leigh Babcock serves as our Arts & Cultural Program Supervisor and also teaches a variety of our classes. Leigh studied Fine Arts and Art Education from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design in Canada. Before joining Chatham County, Leigh spent 24 years at an Arts Center in Virginia, focusing on arts education, program development, exhibition installation, community engagement, and graphic design. Alongside her leadership experience, Leigh is also an accomplished multimedia artist and has recently been accepted into the Chatham County Artists Guild. In her current role, Leigh is grateful for the opportunity to help shape and establish the new Chatham County Arts Center. She looks forward to supporting the continued growth of the county’s arts programming and advancing creative initiatives that enrich Chatham County’s cultural landscape. |
| Meet Rebecca Bagley! | |
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Rebecca is a graphic designer and illustrator who teaches at Elon University, where she shares her love of creativity and process. Her work focuses on illustration and analogue techniques like collage, sun printing, and mixed media experimentation. She’s inspired by the beauty of everyday materials and the joy of discovery through art. Rebecca loves connecting with others and helping them find their own creative voice! |
| Meet Deena Class! | |
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Deena Class is a botanical artist, plant lady extraordinaire, farmer, gardener, garden designer, and enthusiastic bringer-of-plants-into-everything. Happily ensconced with her husband, daughter, and two pups at their small farm in Pittsboro, NC, she spends her days growing, creating, DIY-ing home renovations, and generally finding as many ways as possible to work with plants. Deena gets profound joy from teaching others how to do the same. She sells limited quantities of her creative work at the Chapel Hill Farmer's Market about once a month and at the occasional music festival. Her classes and workshops blend creativity, whimsy, and a deep appreciation for the living world. |
| Meet Stacye Leanza! | |
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| Meet Kira Jones! | |
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Kira started crocheting to keep herself from unraveling during the pandemic. Thanks to dear friends who helped her master the fiber art with sage advice and gentle reassurance, it wasn’t long before she realized she was hooked. She loves to continuously shower friends and loved ones with functional crochet and cute amigurumi creations. One of Kira’s proudest crochet accomplishments was unlocking the secrets of her great grandmother’s dish towels, traveling back in time as she studied every stitch to write a pattern. A writer, educator, and engaged community member, Kira’s life force comes from her love of the written word and desire to help others. Art making, meanwhile, has always been the quiet steady center and the joy that carries her forward—whether it’s cross stitching, sketching, painting elaborately themed designs on pumpkins, quilting, or learning to knit. Kira holds a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from the University of Utah and a Master's Degree in Communication Studies from the University of Montana. |
| Meet Bea Lee! | |
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Bea Lee teaches quilting and fabric coiled baskets. She was born and raised in Denmark . After High school she studied weaving and garment sewing at an art school in Denmark. In 1998, she graduated from the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale. |
| Meet Jessica Rigsbee! | |
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Jessica Rigsbee is a passionate visual artist and experienced teaching artist who brings creativity to life through digital illustration, community engagement, and arts education. Whether hosting interactive arts & craft events, leading youth programs, or creating bold, empowering artwork, she thrives on making art accessible and exciting for diverse audiences. She has collaborated with schools, organizations, authors, small businesses and major brands to turn artistic visions into reality. Her art can be found in stores across the country and her illustrations have made their way around the world! |
| Meet Dolly Sickles! | |
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The Arts Center is currently seeking Pottery on the Wheel, Clay Hand Building & Stained Glass instructors!
For more information, please contact our Arts and Cultural Program Supervisor, Leigh Babcock at
leigh.babcock@chathamcountync.gov | 919-545-8552.

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