A ‘garage salon’ in Bell

Dozens of people crowd Eric Contreras’ parents’ garage in Bell as Julio Marquez performs folk songs at an open-mic night called Alivio, Spanish for “relief.”   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Acclaimed author, activist Luis Rodriguez reads from his book at open-mic night in the Bell garage. “I had to see it for myself,” he says. “I think I’ve been to open mics almost everywhere, but I’ve never done one inside someone’s garage.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The garage at Eric Contreras’ parents’ house in Bell is a venue for painters, poets and musicians. Contreras, a 25-year-old substitute teacher in the Long Beach Unified School District, feels a deep connection to his community.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Matt Sedillo recites a poem during a recent Alivio open-mic night inside a garage in Bell. The two-square-mile town made headlines in 2010 when it was revealed that city leaders had some of the highest salaries in the nation.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Eric Contreras is also hosting biweekly open-mic nights at Corazon y Miel, a trendy restaurant in the city. Some Bell council members have attended the events and say they’re impressed by the size of the audiences. They say the gatherings are good for the city and southeast L.A. County.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Busstop Prophet recites a poem during one of Eric Contreras’ open-mic nights. Alivio is a collaborative effort, Contreras says. People have donated a bookshelf, chairs and food. Contreras’ parents sell homemade food and T-shirts to help recoup the cost of the events. People also donate.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Eric Contreras speaks at Corazon y Miel, a Bell restaurant. “It was because of meeting people at Alivio that I realized I wasn’t the only one with this vision,” says Damaris Pereda, who is helping to develop a cultural center in the region.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Eric Contreras, left, is joined by friends as they make repairs to his parents’ garage. The first two Alivio gatherings drew between 60 and 70 people. The most recent brought more than 100.   (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)