WASHINGTON — Those who live in the D.C. area know that the region is brimming with creativity. The nation’s capital is home to a number of artists, musicians, writers and chefs.

But what is the city’s reputation like beyond the Beltway? Kate Goodall, chief executive officer of Halcyon, worries.

“I think it might have a reputation for being the antithesis of a creative place,” said Goodall, who also co-founded Halcyon, a D.C.-based incubator for entrepreneurs and artists.

“People think of D.C. and they think of policymakers and bureaucrats and lawmakers, and at the worst end of that spectrum, a swamp … but this is actually an incredibly vibrant, creative place, and I think it’s becoming even more so.”

To shine a spotlight on the city’s rich and rampant arts and culture scene, Halcyon, along with several powerful partners (The Smithsonian Institution, the D.C. government and the Washington National Cathedral are all involved), is launching a four-day “arts and dialogue” festival that Goodall hopes will one day rival the likes of South by Southwest (SXSW).

Its name is By the People.