In 2004, Ben Long painted “Sacred Dance & the Muses,” a fresco in the City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium whose theme is the nine Muses of Greek mythology, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne who inspired and ruled over the arts and sciences. Along with the Muses, the fresco includes images of members of Long's family, his colleagues, friends, and his mentor, Pietro Anagoni. The Muses portrayed are Calliope for poetry, Clio for history, Erato for romantic poetry, Euterpe for music, Melpomene for tragedy, Polyhymnia for sacred poetry, Terpsichore for dance, Thalia for comedy, and Urania for astronomy. Long painted from mid-January until early April 2004 on a scaffold deck raised 18 feet above the main floor. Towering above the theatre gallery, the fresco measures approximately 21 feet by 34 feet with a 14-inch rise from the work's sides to its center. Its vivid colors are complemented by a 22-carat goldleaf ribbon of life. Initiated by the City of Morganton and funded entirely by private donations, the work reflects Morganton's commitment to its citizens and visitors through a classical work of art by Ben Long.