From 1932 on, Miltinis studied in Paris, in the school of theatrical art conducted by Charles Dullin.
After his return to Kaunas, Miltinis organized here his own theatrical studio and propagated the main tenets of his teachers, Charles Dullin and Jacques Copeau.
The Panevėžys Drama Theatre was founded in 1940 and Miltinis was appointed as its chief art director.
Most notable of them are Donatas Banionis, Vaclovas Blėdis, Gediminas Karka, Stepas Kosmauskas, Eugenija Šulgaitė, Kazimieras Vitkus, Regina Zdanavičiūtė.
On October 8, 2007, a memorial statue of Juozas Miltinis was unveiled on the central square of Panevežys.