Robert Robson, one of Scottish theatre's leading lights of the 1980s and 1990s, has died suddenly at the age of 58.

Mr Robson, who was born in Hamilton, worked in Glasgow and Aberdeen before moving to Salford, where he became Artistic Director of The Lowry centre.

He died at the weekend and is survived by his wife, Annette, and his sons Stuart and Alan.

Mr Robson was brought up in Motherwell, and attended Hamilton Academy, before studying English and Drama at Glasgow University. On graduation, he moved to Cardiff to undertake a post-graduate diploma in Theatre Studies, working at the Sherman Theatre.

Upon moving back to Scotland, he became a Community Drama Worker with Easterhouse Festival Society, working on a housing estate in the East End of Glasgow. At the same time, he was honing his craft as a director, and his production of Krassivy won a Fringe First Award at the 1979 Edinburgh Festival.

In 1983, he became Artistic Director of Cumbernauld Theatre, where he produced, directed and occasionally wrote many productions for the theatre's own professional company.

Following this, in 1990, he was appointed Festival Director of Mayfest - Glasgow's international festival and the second largest arts festival in the UK. At Mayfest, he developed a taste for programming international work, but also co-producing some memorable work, including Michael Boyd's production of Macbeth and the NVA installation Sabotage.

Following this, Mr Robson continued his journey across the Scottish theatre landscape to Aberdeen to take up the role of Theatre Director at His Majesty's Theatre in 1994. Then in 1997, he also took responsibility for the Aberdeen Music Hall and Arts Centre.

At Salford, he was initially appointed as Theatres Director in 1998, two years prior to The Lowry first opening its doors, to develop a performance programme of work that would truly lay down a marker for the venue.

In his first ever season introduction, he proclaimed that The Lowry's programme will be "the antithesis of dead theatre" stating: "It will be rich in variety and intense in activity. The Lowry will not bear the imprint of one single person's artistic vision but will respond to its community and all its possible markets".

In a season that included the Paris Opera Ballet, A Clockwork Orange and a huge community project, Mr Robson certainly put The Lowry on the map.

In 2003 he was appointed Artistic Director, taking overall strategic control of The Lowry's artistic vision, encompassing performing and visual arts, as well as the community and education programme. Key to the success of the theatres programme were the partnerships he brokered with some of the country's finest companies.

In the visual arts, he oversaw numerous major exhibitions, in partnership with organisations such as the V&A, National Portrait Gallery, Royal Opera House and the Warhol Museum, as well as a radical reappraisal of the work of LS Lowry, culminating in this year's retrospective at Tate Britain.

He was also responsible for developing The Lowry as the strongest centre for dance outside London. He worked tirelessly both nationally and internationally to ensure that The Lowry brought the finest works from all over the world. Highlights included performances by the Bolshoi and the Kirov, as well as the only UK performances of The Australian Ballet's stunning Swan Lake. In keeping with his commitment to high quality community engagement and the support of young creative talent, Robert was also responsible for establishing The Lowry as a regional Centre for Advanced Training in dance, providing training for aspiring young dancers.Aside from his professional roles, Robert had a major impact on the artistic ecology, both nationally and internationally. He was the Chair of Phoenix Dance, and on the Board of Directors of the International Society for the Performing Arts. He also worked as an independent Art Council England Assessor for ballet and contemporary dance.

Julia Fawcett, CEO of The Lowry, said: "Robert was already Theatre Director of The Lowry when I joined the organisation in 2002. I was so impressed by his fierce intelligence, his passionate commitment to the arts and his independence of mind that in 2003 I persuaded him become to become Artistic Director, taking the lead on The Lowry's artistic vision for performing and visual arts, and our community and education programme.

"Robert was both respected and loved by all his colleagues. To me, he was indispensable: a calming influence at times of crisis, a giver of wise counsel, a trusted friend, a ferocious defender and advocate of the arts and an unparalleled source of industry gossip! His death leaves a huge hole in the arts community, in The Lowry and in the lives of his family and all who knew him."