By WAMU’s Mikaela Lefrak

If you stand outside Washington National Cathedral, you’ll see blue splotches covering its hundred-year-old steps. The paint starts at the Cathedral’s imposing front entrance, dribbles down the stone steps, and spreads like water across the sidewalk.

But don’t worry, it’s not the work of a rogue graffiti artist, or the Blue Man Group taking its revenge on organized religion. It’s a site-specific painting by Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi, one of the dozens of artists participating in the city’s inaugural By the People Festival.

The four-day festival will feature performances, installations and moderated conversations centered around the broad themes of life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness. Installations will go up at sites in each of the city’s four quadrants, including the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building, Union Market, The Parks at Walter Reed and THEARC West in addition to the cathedral.