The scarcity of low-rent accommodation is pushing many artists and craftworkers out of Dublin in search of a home and space to work. The widespread redevelopment of once semi-derelict light industrial premises and many older warehouse blocks is welcomed by many as part of urban rejuvenation. However, these are the buildings which artists and other creative people have traditionally been drawn to in which to work.

"I get about five queries a week from artists looking for working space," says Sarah Searson, arts officer with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. "Artists are being squeezed out of spaces they would traditionally have used." As a consequence, rural Ireland is experiencing a renaissance in the arts, Ms Searson believes, "because artists can no longer afford to live in the cities". A courtyard of craftworkers' studios in Marlay Park, Rathfarnham is one of the few places in the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council area which has occasional availability.

Stella Coffey, executive director of the Artists Association of Ireland, says that you would have to wait for somebody to die, move to the UK or out of Dublin to find a place in "one of the long-term institutional studios" such as studio spaces at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Temple Bar Gallery and Studios and other sponsored work spaces.

Historically, Ireland simply doesn't have the same amount of industrial space as, say, the UK or parts of continental Europe, Ms Coffey points out. And now "the availability of affordable studio space is at a crisis point in Dublin", she says. Ms Coffey would like to see local authorities encouraging developers to incorporate one working artist's studio into the planning of new estates and industrial developments. There have been various initiatives taken by individual artists to find shared studio space. In Wexford, the town council contributed to the capital costs of renovating the Wexford Sculpture Workshop and continues to waive the rates on the building, a model Stella Coffey of AAI would like to see followed by other corporations and county councils. In Galway, artist-managed studio spaces are subsidised by Galway Corporation. Limerick Corporation itself handles the administration of the Limerick Arts Studios.

In Balbriggan, Co Dublin, property developer Glen Pearson has converted a 19th century redbrick former factory into artists' studios. This building currently houses four residential studios and five working spaces. "I have always been interested in the arts and architecture and I bought this building when property prices weren't so high and restored it for studios and residential units," says Mr Pearson.

Another property developer, Harry Crosbie, currently has two warehouse spaces in his business centre on Ossory Road (off the North Strand) which may suit artists looking for a group studio space. The cheaper of the two, which is approximately 4,000 sq ft, is due to be let for £2,000 a month. The space could potentially accommodate 10 to 12 working studio spaces. Currently some artists are paying between £90 and £120 per month for studio spaces.

"The difficulty for artists now is that everybody is developing space to a high standard and therefore leasing it at a higher price," says Sharon Woods of the Harry Crosbie Business Centre.

Jacinta Lynch is one artist who took a proactive approach to finding studio space in Dublin. She began treking around the city five years ago in search of a space which could be converted to studio spaces. "Artists work in an anti-clockwise economy," says Ms Lynch, explaining the difficulty many encounter when it comes to paying out huge deposits in advance for living/working space.

After a long search and one thwarted effort, Ms Lynch found a 5,000 sq ft empty space on Dominick Street which was available to rent. Together with an Australian artist, Kathy Taylor, they secured a contract for two years and nine months (the longest they could get) and set about the task of converting the building to 15 individual studio spaces.

Over three years later, Broadstone Studios has now incorporated seven extra studio spaces on a lower floor in the 1940s Hendrons building. They also have a darkroom, digital editing facilities and Internet access for all studio holders with the assistance of an Arts Council grant.

However, in spite of having all the structures in place (including a heating system which was added last year), Ms Lynch says that she still feels vulnerable about their tenancy. "My greatest worry is that we are sitting in one of the hottest property locations. My alarm bells are on all the time regarding how vulnerable we are," she says.

In fact, the Hendrons building came up for sale last September and Lynch instigated a consortium of tenants to place a tender of £2.5 million. The building sold two weeks later for £2.75 million. "We have been given assurances by the landlord that everything will continue as before, but it has made me realise that we have started on a track and we have got to go the whole hog. The next step is to buy a building for ourselves because otherwise we are totally exposed to the risk of redevelopment."

Jack Gilligan, arts officer with Dublin Corporation, is acutely aware of the diminishing supply of working space for artists in Dublin. "We feel it would be a huge pity if our artists are squeezed out of the city centre. The city would be poorer for it," he says.

A case in point is Pallas Studios, in the north-east inner city, where artists face expulsion from their premises at the start of next year. "This particular group will be displaced and we are keen that they don't have to leave the area. I'm hoping that Dublin Corporation can influence some of the developments in this area through integrated area plans which are about creating a mix of uses - enterprise, residential and cultural - for buildings," says Mr Gilligan.

Mark Cullen of Pallas Studios adds: "There is talk of an arts centre being built in Foley Street (where Pallas Studios are located) which may include artists' studio space. As artists who have been working here for five years, we feel some provision should be made. We are also hopeful that we can talk to the landlord about integrating studios into redevelopment plans." On a more upbeat note, Jack Gilligan points to Dublin Corporation's involvement in the development of 10 working spaces for artists and craftworkers and two residential studio spaces in St Anne's Park, Raheny. Known locally as the "red stables", these buildings are the former stables of the "big house" that once stood in the grounds of the park. In co-operation with the Irish Writers' Centre, Dublin Corporation also provides office space on a yearly basis to a writer-in-residence.

Short-term accommodation for artists and writers also exists in such places as the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig, Co Monaghan and the Heinrich Boll cottage on Achill Island.

There are also three writers' studios in Temple Bar, which are let to writers at a cost of £20 per week for a period from three months to one year. These writers' studios are managed by Temple Bar Properties.

However, these managed studio spaces still only cater for a small minority of artists who need space away from their homes in which they can work.