SPArKS 2026-2028 Executive Committee

(L-R) Vanesa Chung Martinez – Committee Member (Projects), Lenore Lee – Committee Member (PR), Jeremy Tan (Vice-President), Jasmine Leong (President), Daphne Wong (Secretary), Joanne Vun (Committee Member – Music) Raymond Goh (Treasurer)

Presenting the SPArKS EXCO for 2026-28!

The Society of Performing Arts Kota Kinabalu Sabah (SPArKS) held its 10th Biennial General Meeting (BGM) with great enthusiasm, marking an eventful and productive term while unveiling an exciting lineup of upcoming productions.

Presiding President Jasmine Leong and her Executive Committee (EXCO) were re-elected for the 2026-2028 term, with one change in the lineup. Hazli Bojili, who has relocated to Kuala Lumpur, stepped down, making way for Vanesa Chung Martinez – owner and instructor of Pole Oasis – to join the dedicated EXCO team.

All attendees of the biennial meeting at IEC, Sunny Garden

A total of 18 members attended the BGM, including Founder President Datuk Adeline Leong, who established SPArKS in 2007. Also present were past presidents Cheong Kok Ann, architect and jazz musician, and renowned fingerstyle guitarist Roger Wang. Members enjoyed a light dinner before the official proceedings commenced.

President Jasmine Leong presented a recap of SPArKS’ key activities, highlighting three major events:

• Sounds for the Ocean (July 2024)
  A fundraising collaboration with GaiaOne focused on ocean conservation awareness, featuring Sabahan musicians Roger Wang 3.3 and The String Trio. Sponsors were also given the opportunity to adopt coral, reinforcing the message that performing arts can be a powerful platform for advocacy.
  
• Piano with Sophia Lim (August 2024)
  A captivating recital by Sabahan UK-trained pianist Sophia Lim, which received an enthusiastic response from audiences.

• Carnival of the Animals (October 2025)
  SPArKS’ flagship production brought together Sabah’s classical musicians, including two master pianists, alongside dancers and theatre performers. The production achieved a full-house run of three shows at the JKKN Auditorium.

SPArKS also extended support to numerous arts initiatives, including the Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF), led by Jude Day who was also present, vocal recitals, orchestral performances, school theatre productions, and dance showcases.

Strengthening Community Through the Arts

While continuing its tradition of supporting arts initiatives, SPArKS is placing greater emphasis on producing its own community-driven productions. This direction has already borne fruit through productions such as Peter and the Wolf (2023) and Carnival of the Animals (2025).

These efforts have also led to the formation of two new performing arts training programmes:

• Kinabalu Chamber Orchestra (KCO), led by conductor and flutist Kenneth Chia
• A Musical Theatre programme spearheaded by Jasmine Leong’s education company, IEC

Both initiatives aim to nurture and prepare performers for future stage productions.

To find out more about what SPArKS did over the past term, read our 2024-2026 term recap!

Looking Ahead

SPArKS members and the public can look forward to several exciting developments:

• KK Jazz Festival (14th Edition)
• The Nutcracker’s Journey (End of 2026)
• NAGARIMBA – Original Children’s Musical (Proposed)

SPArKS remains committed to supporting, educating, and elevating the performing arts in Kota Kinabalu. The society invites the public to continue supporting its mission.

As President Jasmine Leong aptly expressed: “If infrastructure is the body of a society, then the arts is its heart.”

Let’s keep the heart beating strong for years to come.