The Youth Art Connection of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta sponsored the exhibition "Russia's Heart Through Children's Eyes: A Century of Youth Art," October 6-31, 2004 in Center Space Gallery at Woodruff Art Center and in YAC Gallery on Auburn Avenue.

This exhibition was part of the collection of The State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia and consisted of artwork spanning 100 years – from the Tzarist and Soviet Periods to present day.

Dr. Boris Stolyarov, Director, The State Russian Museum Pedagogical Center; Dr. Olga Nekrasova-Karateeva, Chair of St. Petersburg Children's Arts Coordinating Council, and Ms. Irina Kizilova, Deputy Director, St. Petersburg Institute for Cultural Programs visited Atlanta during the exhibit and participated in this discussion taped at Georgia Public Broadcasting...

The exhibit, "Russia's Heart Through Children's Eyes: A Century of Youth Art" was made possible through the generosity of private contributions and represented a partnership between The State Russian Museum, The State Russian Museum Pedagogical Center, the St. Petersburg Institute for Cultural Programs, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, The Woodruff Arts Center, The High Museum of Art, and The Atlanta College of Art.

The State Russian Museum is home to the world's largest collection of Russian fine art. It was opened in 1898 by decree of Tsar Nicholas II and covers the entire history of Russian art from the tenth century to the present day. Since 1976, the Russian Museum has been a National center coordinating the academic and methodological work of all the art museums of Russia. In 1992, the President of the Russian Federation decreed the Museum as a special object of national cultural heritage.

Taking advantage of the exhibit's presence in Atlanta, Georgia Public Broadcasting created two resources. The first is a virtual gallery of the artwork so that the exhibit can extend beyond the boundaries of time and space. The second is a cultural dialog between the Russian Art Educators and representatives from Georgia State University, the High Museum of Art and the Youth Art Connection, a program of Metro Atlanta Boys 7 Girls Clubs. Youth Art: Reflections of the World, is the title of the program that featured the cultural dialog.