Singer-songwriter Don McGlashan has won this year's $30,000 Laureate musician's award.

The Arts Foundation of New Zealand honoured five winners of the 2002 Laureate awards at a ceremony at Auckland University last night, when the Muttonbirds frontman was joined by dancer and choreographer Shona McCullagh, singer Helen Medlyn, actor and writer Jacob Rajan and jeweller Warwick Freeman.

They receive $30,000 each to spend in any way they see fit to further their careers.