A clutch of Maldives resorts are rolling out programmes that go well beyond the usual sun-and-sand pitch, with live art, visiting chefs, football camps and Canary Islands wine all on the calendar in the months ahead.

At Eri Maldives, the beach bar has become a canvas. Maldivian artist Ismail Maaish spent a weekend painting an original mural directly onto Beach Shack, the resort's casual bar next to a popular stretch of house reef. His design features a bow-tied octopus in sunglasses mixing cocktails among schools of fish — a playful nod to the plush octopus waiting in guests' villas — and draws on the marine life just offshore. Maaish, who trained in architecture and works across ink, watercolour, acrylic and large-scale murals, uses bold characters to explore Maldivian folklore and island identity. The takeover was staged under Pulse Resorts' KULA Initiative, which platforms local artists, and it's the first of what the resort plans as an evolving series at Beach Shack.

Kuredhivaru Resort and Spa, meanwhile, has lined up a September-to-October programme. It starts on 26 September with a Japanese cocktail and dining night: six courses spanning Japanese and Peruvian flavours — think yellowfin tuna tartare, robata-grilled octopus and butter-poached lobster — paired with drinks by award-winning Japanese bartender Norihiko Furuse. On 3 October comes an annual Oktoberfest with pork knuckle, goulash, pretzels, apple strudel and live music, and from 30 to 31 October the island goes family-friendly spooky with costume workshops, pumpkin carving and a kids' Halloween fashion show.

Patina Maldives at Fari Islands has the busiest calendar of the lot under its Perpetual Journey programme. Maldivian artist Aishath Shuaila takes over the Fari Art Atelier as an open studio from 22 September to 10 October, following residencies by Ahmed Khaleel and Hassan Najih. London-based artist Shezad Dawood then begins the inaugural Patina Art Residency from 18 October to 8 November, doing fieldwork on marine ecology for a piece themed Fluid Worlds. Young footballers aged six to 17 can join a five-day FC Bayern Munich coaching camp from 25 October, while food fans get Hong Kong izakaya Yardbird's Yakido pop-ups at Brasa in early October. A three-day Diwali celebration from 7 November brings Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar, bartender Giancarlo Mancino and Bangalore DJ Sakré, and visiting practitioners offer holistic bodywork, Japanese thermal rituals and breathwork through the season.

Rounding it out, THE OZEN COLLECTION hosts its sixth annual Bodegas Viñátigo wine master class in November. The Tenerife winery, known for reviving nearly forgotten Canary Island grapes, starts at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO from 23 to 25 November with a soirée at M6m, the underwater restaurant six metres below the lagoon, featuring underwater-aged wines as the welcome pour.

For travellers, this is a sign of where Maldives luxury is heading: the overwater villa is now the backdrop, and the draw is who's on the island while you're there. If you've been holding off on a trip because it felt like more of the same, a season built around local artists, Michelin-starred cooking and youth football coaching gives you a reason to pick dates — and pick your resort — with intent.