West Village in Dallas is known for a lot of things: movie-watching, shopping and pretty terrific people-watching, especially from dueling patios Mi Cocina and Taco Diner. Art, however, was not on the list — until now. The first-ever Art Uprising festival, a juried event featuring work from more than 50 area artists, kicks off Friday night.

The free event, according to Robert Bagwell, president of Urban Partners and West Village Management Company, is something the mixed-use development had been contemplating for a long time.

"Through Art Uprising, we hope to raise awareness of local art, as well as bring West Village — and Uptown as a whole — into this conversation as a supporter of the Dallas art community," he says. "Our hope is to ... show people that collecting art shouldn’t be intimidating, but attainable and fun."

Saturday and Sunday are the big festival days, but you can get a taste Friday night at an art walk and silent auction. Individual artists will be paired with different stores to create a sense of community for both artists and tenants. The auction benefits the Emergency Artist Support League, a group that provides grants to artists around the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

In addition to artwork displayed throughout the complex, there will be stages set up in the two alleys for concerts from the likes of Whiskey Folk Ramblers, The O's, My Wooden Leg and Tatiana Mayfield. In all, almost 20 bands will enliven the West Village with music. Visitors can also enjoy food and drink from neighborhood restaurants like Union Bear and Cru, hula hoop with performers from Cirque du Soleil's Kooza, and other family-friendly activities.